The Word Is Bravery
by nicolebaka
Summary: "Being brave is when you have to do something because you know it is right, but at the same time, you are afraid to do it, because it might hurt. But you do it anyway." Will Damon be brave enough to let the love of his life go and only hope one day she'll come back? Will Elena be brave enough to risk a seemingly perfect life and admit her feelings? AU/AH.
1. Too Little, Too Late

_**I'm officially BACK! I was so happy that some of you are still interested in this story and stuck around while I was MIA. I'm really sorry that I wasn't updating any of my stories for almost a year, but college took away every second of my free time. Life happens.**_

 _ **So first, I'm gonna post 2 chapters at once which were originally one chapter when I came up with this story...There will be slight changes to the original one and more chapters will follow :) I hope you like what my beta and I did!**_

 _ **Let me know what you think, it gives me major motivation and a** **silly happy** **face when I see I got a review from you :))**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Too Little, Too Late**

Damon woke up with a head that felt like it had been smashed with a hammer. With a groan and a glance at his watch, he determined that it was nearly three in the afternoon, which meant that he had missed four business meetings and two conference calls despite it being a Saturday morning.

He groaned again as he let his face fall back into his pillow, trying to decide if he honestly cared. What did it matter? Once the media found out about his father's dark past, his company would be in the toilet. Daddy dearest had been into some rather sordid business before he kicked the bucket, which left Damon to clean up the shit to keep the vultures away.

Amidst other sordid, dodgy deals and dirty secrets, there was one large cover-up that had been buried so deep into his father's past that there were very few alive today who could recall the incident. Damon had only found out himself when his father had passed. An old warehouse had burnt down with a young woman inside many years ago.

The unfortunate part was that the young woman at the time had been married to Giuseppe's biggest competitor in the market, leaving Damon's father as the prime suspect for the arson. Of course, this had been swept under the rug and hidden by Giuseppe's lawyer. The knowledge had been left for Damon in his father's will. Cheers, dad.

Following the revelation, Damon had tried to repent for his father's sin and get into the good graces of the victim's daughter. Isobel hadn't known the true nature of her mother's death due to her age, but when she had come of age and learnt of the fire, she had sworn vengeance on Damon, and the Salvatore name.

She promised to destroy everything associated with them and therefore Giuseppe's company, and as a byproduct: Damon's legacy. The secret that was uncovered that day would have stayed buried had he not been betrayed by his roommate Alaric. Alaric had been his best friend for as long as he could remember.

It only seemed natural to move in together after Damon and Elena had split, giving up their shared apartment. When Damon had learnt of the fire and tried to get into Isobel's good graces before she found out the information herself, he had inadvertently led Alaric to his soul mate. Isobel and Alaric fell in love the moment their eyes met.

It didn't take long for the guilt to destroy Alaric and force him to confess the Salvatore's deepest shame. Now Isobel was on a path straight to Damon's downfall, leaving him to do nothing but sit back and watch with a bottle or three of bourbon to keep his company. He decided that he may as well enjoy it while he could afford to.

Damon sighed to himself and finally found the strength to roll out of his bed. Using his hands and knuckles he pushed himself up on his mattress, only to fall back down in agony as the sharp pain tore into his hands. With a glance at his knuckles, he located the source of the problem: three deep cuts.

Using his other hand, he leant over and switched on his bedside lamp to closer inspect the pain. The bright light illuminated the room and his skin, revealing the embedded shards of glass in the cuts. Damon hissed in pain as he attempted to pluck them out with his thick fingers but it was futile. His fingers weren't slim enough and the cuts immediately began to ooze blood.

He was searching for a dirty t-shirt to wrap it in when he noticed he was still in his suit. He also noticed the blood stains on his once white shirt. Finally, out of bed, he glanced around and wondered why he was bothering. Usually, he let himself sleep when he was drunk, hungover or drowning in self-pity, or all three.

But the guilt was eating him alive, and he couldn't keep still. When he looked up, she was looking at him with eyes full of fear. Damon gasped and squeezed his eyelids shut, not wanting to see her face but watching it burn behind his eyelids. " _It's over."_ Her voice echoed in his mind, turning his stomach enough to make haste to the bathroom.

He barely made it to the toilet before he threw up everything he'd drank the night before. "Damon?" Someone called, interrupting his vomiting.

He glanced behind him whilst wiping his mouth with his less injured hand, and realised he hadn't closed the door behind him. Alaric stood in the hallway with a stony face and suitcases at his feet. Damon felt his stomach give again and barely repressed heaving. How could his best friend look at him with such contempt?

"What's with the suitcases? She's taking you on a vacation?" Damon snapped.

"She asked me to choose, Damon. I chose her." Alaric replied simply without a shred of guilt or sorrow in his voice.

Damon smirked, trying to hide the pain behind cockiness. " _Elena's lucky she got free of you."_ "What?" Damon snapped again.

Alaric frowned. "I said-"

"I know!" Damon interrupted, staggering to his feet.

His mind always taunted him. Crossing to the basin after flushing the toilet, Damon glanced at himself in the mirror above. He saw his father's face in his cruel smirk, smelt him on his breath. Giuseppe would be proud of him now, the man he always wanted Damon to be. They were one and the same for the first time: isolated and hurting everything that came near them.

"If you walk out that door," Damon hissed, his father's eyes looking back at him. "Don't ever come back."

"Don't worry," Alaric replied with a bitter edge, a tone he rarely used. "I don't plan to."

He bent to retrieve his suitcases and Damon listened to his best friend walk out of his life. When the click of Alaric's keys sounded through the kitchen, Damon felt like he had been punched in the gut, but when the front door slammed, he had never felt emptier. The silence following burrowed into Damon's head, reminding him that he was truly alone.

He glanced back into the mirror, his father's face looking back at him and his thoughts wandered back to the glass that continued to break beneath his skin, scattering tiny shards across the sink. His brother's words haunted him in that moment: " _She couldn't love that. No one ever could."_

" _It's over."_

* * *

"Elena?" Elijah called from the other side of the bathroom door, gently rapping his knuckles against it.

"It's been a while… are you okay?"

"I'll be out in a minute," Elena whispered, barely loud enough to be heard through the door.

There was silence where she could hear his breathing, and she knew he was debating pressing the matter. She squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the words but she was surprised to hear his retreating footsteps, signalling he had left her alone to her thoughts. She lifted her chin and glanced in the mirror, tracing her finger over the cut marking her skin.

" _You are_ _ **mine**_ _, Elena!"_

She shuddered at the memory, her eyes fluttering closed as she pushed away from the image. She didn't want to remember him like that. It hurt to think of his name, because despite the pain he brought, she saw the sorrow in his eyes and felt his anger and fear radiating from him. She cared about him so much.

Elena opened her eyes once more, catching sight of the brilliant sparkle on her finger. The light flashed off of the diamond ring, nearly blinding her and forcing her to look back towards the door, and the man who had left it. She hadn't spoken to Elijah all day because she was afraid he would notice the cut on her face. He cared about her so much.

He's someone I _should_ marry, she thought.

No, he's someone I _want_ to marry… right?

She finally stood from where she was perched on the lip of the bath and unlocked the door. Elijah was behind it, waiting on her bed. Elena paused in the doorway, turning off the light in the bathroom, leaving her bedroom lamp to illuminate the couple. Elijah glanced up and tried to smile, worry clear in his eyes.

"Elena," he breathed with his strong English accent. Her lips quirked at how prominent it was when he spoke her name. "Were you… crying?"

"No!" She snapped, her smile dropping.

Elijah recoiled from her harsh tone, one she didn't much use around him because he was too sweet to cause a rise in her. "No... I just got a little soap in my eye when I was washing my face… clumsy me," she forced a laugh.

She wondered if Elijah noticed, but was too much of a gentleman to mention it. Elena liked him for that… loved. She loved him for that. Right? She cleared her throat and stepped away from the bathroom, trying to smile. "Are you ready to leave? I know my aunt can't wait to meet you."

Elijah smiled, standing and wiping a hand down his suit. He really was a handsome man. "Of course, shall we?"

He offered his hand like the gentlemen he always aspired to be, and Elena slipped hers into his palm, finding that a smile did easily slide onto her lips. Easy. As simple as breathing. It was meant to be like this, wasn't it? Not forced, not lies, not control, not power. Easy, sweet, romantic.

This is what she _should_ want.

This is what she _did_ want.

When she had been a little girl, she had wanted to be a beautiful princess with a handsome prince who loved her unconditionally. First, she had found the dark knight, a player she hadn't expected in her game of life, someone who sucked away her happiness. Now she had found her prince in Elijah.

Then why was she so unhappy?

 _Because I'm stupid,_ Elena thought to herself as she put on her coat and returned Elijah's smile. _I fell in love with the wrong man, the wrong player, and now there's no room for anyone else._ Elijah opened the door for her, beckoning her to go first. _No, he's no longer a player. The dark knight is no good for me. I've found my prince. Nothing can change what happened._

 _It's irreversible, and this is it._

 _It's over._

* * *

"Damon?" Called a chirpy voice he recognised.

Damon didn't look up from his glass, or acknowledge the fact that Elena's best friend was in his apartment. The amber liquid he stared into was his only friend.

"Damon? Where… Oh, here you are."

Caroline rounded the corner with her usual smile and immaculate hair, makeup and clothing. Her smile fell from her painted lips when she found Damon in the dark, still dressed from last night and knocking back the remains of his glass. Her eyes fell to the broken picture on the floor, still littered with the glass shards that covered Elena's smiling face.

"What happened?" Caroline demanded though worry clouded her voice.

Damon placed his glass down with a resounding ring and looked up at her. He glanced briefly at the smashed photo frame and shuddered at the image of chocolate brown eyes widening in fear. He glanced back at Caroline, raising his hand and displaying his injuries. Caroline took a hold of his hand and sat next to him with a sigh.

"You didn't even clean it? Jesus Damon, it's a miracle that you managed to get dressed this morning." As she said this, she glanced at his suit and rolled her eyes. "You didn't change clothes."

"I've been busy," he dismissed her.

"With what? Slicing your hand to pieces and ruining your life? What did you do? Apart from…" Caroline grimaced at the sight of the glass embedded in his knuckles. Damon scowled at the pity clouding her eyes and yanked his hand free.

"Elena," Damon murmured.

Caroline glanced at him and raised her blonde brow. "I was wondering where she went yesterday. Not that she would have told me, but what happened?" She asked as she took his hand back and gently started to extract the glass shards. Damon watched her for a moment then sighed.

"She's… she's going to marry that English knob," he tried to say with fire in his belly but instead his throat tightened with emotion. "She's gone."

"Yeah," Caroline whispered softly, putting down his hand for a moment before she picked it back up to fix his wounds. "She still loves you though, Damon."

"No," Damon said quickly.

Caroline sighed. "Yesterday you were convinced she loved you… what changed? Damon… what happened last night?"

* * *

 ** _Thank you for reading!_**

 ** _What do you think?_**


	2. Memories and Phonecalls

**Chapter 2: Memories and Phonecalls**

Damon remained silent following Caroline's question, thinking that she would get uncomfortable and drop the subject. Caroline seemed to realize this was what he was doing and waited him out. Damon's eyes fluttered shut as he remembered yesterday in all its entirety, and with crystal clear vision.

"Come on, Damon. Talk to me. Start from the beginning too. Elena may be my best friend, but I don't know all the details. I hadn't even met this Elijah guy until last night; I was just as shocked as you to find out she was marrying him, and she told by text early hours this morning! You would think you would get your best friends approval before you get hitched!"

Damon glared at her, knowing she didn't intend to be deliberately insensitive but she still managed anyway. Caroline winced at his facial expression. "I'm sorry. Please, just start from the beginning. Maybe I can help if I know all the facts."

Damon sighed, doubting it sincerely, but he took pity on her and tried to start from the beginning, or at least the beginning of Elena and Elijah. Esther Mikaelson, a famous English author known to both the U.K and the U.S, and the mother of Elijah Mikaelson had been hosting a gala in the heart of New York City.

Elena was to be introduced to Esther for the first time, hoping to impress her boyfriend's mother. It was rumored that Esther was a hard woman to please and rather frosty in her demeanor, giving only warm and kindness to people she truly enjoyed being around. Elijah was her only son, and so any woman on his arm had to be the perfect woman.

Esther didn't think that applied to Elena, whom Elijah had met in London the summer after she had broken up with Damon, or so she told him. She was on an editorial practice and met Elijah in a small coffee shop, where he charmed her with his accent, his looks and his gentlemen ways.

When they parted, he promised he would look her up in New York, should he have the chance to visit the country. After merely two weeks, he made good on that promise, and they had been together ever since. Like a typical guy, Damon didn't realize how good he had it until he lost it, and did something stupid to prove it.

When he learned that Elena was seeing someone else, he made it his mission to get her back but took it further last night. With bourbon as his courage and a smirk as his entry, he crashed the party and made it clear to everyone in the room that Elena was the love of his life. He and Elijah got into a scuffle and Caroline left the party to avoid both him and Elena.

In the course of one Friday evening, he had managed to proclaim his love and embarrass Elena. All while his company was going down the toilet, his reputation was falling apart and his best friend had chosen a woman over him. Elena's name had been shamed in front of a room of important people, and even more importantly: Mrs. Mikaelson.

Damon had been removed by security after his fight with Elijah and chucked into a cab with the instructions to get him home. He thought that would have been the end of his night, and after wallowing on his doorstep for nearly an hour, he made his way inside and decided to get wasted.

"I didn't expect her to come over," Damon said aloud, his eyes unfocused as he lost himself in the memory of last night.

 _Damon heard her walk into his apartment despite being three-quarters of the way through his bottle of bourbon. He always did recognize her steps, and no one else would walk into his apartment without knocking except for Caroline but she was in a mood with him. He turned on his barstool, twirling his glass with his finger and looked over at her._

 _Elena was beautiful, despite the fact that she must have gone home first and changed. Instead of her beautiful ball gown, she was dressed in jeans, converse, and a leather jacket. The makeup had been removed from her face and her elaborate hairstyle had been unraveled, leaving damp curls that clung to the leather of her jacket._

" _You came," Damon said hoarsely, his throat sore from the harsh liquor._

 _Elena stalked closer, her eyes blazing with anger. "How could you do that to me, Damon? How could you!?"_

" _Sorry, I ruined your shot at having a white picket fence life in England," Damon hissed, leaning over his glass to glare into her eyes. "But let's face it, Elena! You were never going to go through with it! We both know how much you love New York."_

" _Damon," she growled his name like a warning._

 _Damon stood from his bar stool and stumbled towards her until he was stood in front of her. His vision was blurring to the point he was seeing two Elena's, but then they molded into one, leaving his Elena staring at him with disappointment. "I need you, Elena," he whispered brokenly._

 _It was an honest thing to say, and he wasn't always honest but this was easy because he meant it with all his heart. "I need you more than I ever have. There's so much happening… so much going on, my father… everything I thought I wanted to be… what I needed to be, to please him… lies, all lies!"_

 _Elena frowned, clearly worried about his slurs and disjointed words. He pushed on, not wanting her to try and get him to bed and blame his outburst on the alcohol. "The only thing that has ever been real is you and me, Elena. But you know that. That's why you've come back."_

 _Damon stumbled forward and Elena automatically gripped his shoulders to steady him. His hands settled on her hips and his face fell into the curve between her shoulder and neck. Damon took a deep breath, inhaling her scent before his lips curved over her bare skin, pressing soft kisses. The kisses always made her come back._

" _Elijah asked me to marry him," Elena whispered._

 _Damon froze and stood up straight, trying to pull his senses together. "You can't marry anyone else! You are_ _ **mine**_ _, Elena!"_

 _Didn't she understand? They were made for each other._

" _I wanted to…but not anymore…" Elena whispered, staring into his eyes._

" _You're lying," Damon shouted, pushing away from her. "You came back to me. I bet he doesn't even know you're here, does he?!"_

 _Elena looked down, ashamed and Damon felt his heart shatter as the truth passed over her face. She hadn't come back to him. She had come back to say goodbye to him, and start a new life with another man. Damon gripped his head in his hands before he gripped Elena by the arms, stumbling so he shoved her into the wall._

" _No!" Elena gasped, her curls flying across her shoulders._

 _Damon pressed against her, trying to regain her love by pressing clumsy kisses to her neck, face, cheeks and lips. "Please, Elena, please!"_

" _Damon, no! No! Damon, stop!"_

 _Damon gripped her face in his hands, staring at the tears staining her skin. Elena stared back at him with a quivering lower lip and wet lashes. "It's over."_

 _Damon screamed with rage, pushing away from her so that Elena stumbled against the wall and into the table next to her. Her body fell into the wood, taking it to the floor and smashing it to pieces. Damon gasped and dove to catch her, destroying the skin of his hands on the smashed picture frame as he struggled to pick her up._

 _As Damon looked down at Elena sobbing, lying in the smashed remains of the table and photo frame, he could see in her eyes that he had gone too far. She wasn't coming back. It's over, he thought to himself. Guilt swelled hot in his gut at the small cut appearing on her skin, birthing droplets of blood that stained her olive complexion. Elena got up and ran as fast as she could._

 _He always did recognize her footsteps._

"Damon," Caroline murmured, bringing him back to the present.

She had released his hand now that she had patched it up. He glanced at the bandages in surprise, feeling the burn of antiseptic beneath them. He refused to look at her, scared to see the horror and judgment in her blue eyes. The room was silent, and Damon nearly laughed at the fact that he had finally made Caroline Forbes speechless.

He did feel slightly sorry for her. She may have been Elena's best friend, but she was also his friend, by some miracle and loved them both. She tended to get stuck in the middle, with Elena most recently deeming her a traitor last night for questioning her relationship and impending marriage to Elijah. That was why she had left the party.

"So now you know, I ruined her and us like everyone always thought I would," he bitterly announced. "Elena doesn't love me anymore. How could she?"

"Damon, a fight doesn't change the fact that she loves-"

"You don't get it, do you?" Damon snapped, standing from his seat. Caroline jumped at the sudden motion. "I hurt her, physically hurt her. Embarrassed her."

"It was an accident, Damon. Elena will realize that!" Caroline defended him, enraging him further.

"Stop making excuses for me! I've done terrible things, hurt a lot of people but this is the worst thing… the worst thing I've ever done."

 _I'm my father's son._

He didn't say it, but he knew Caroline would know he was thinking it. She changed the topic, clearly realizing she was out of her depth. "Where's Alaric?"

Damon pulled a face, betrayal twisting his gut. "Gone. Isobel gave him an ultimatum and he chose."

"Why would he do that? He's your best friend!" Damon smirked bitterly at her rage.

When he glanced back at her, she was retrieving her phone from her bag. She pressed it gently into his bandaged palm. "I have a phone, thanks," he quipped.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Call Elena, she'll answer to me."

"Are you out of your mind?" Damon snapped.

"Shut up and listen. You would never hurt her on purpose, and she knows that! So, you call her, and you tell her you to want to see her. We'll fix this. All those times she fought for you, Damon, do it for her!"

Damon shoved the phone back at her. "It's not like before, Caroline. She won't ever forgive me. I can't even forgive me!"

"You can't know that until you try, Damon! You'll regret it for the rest of your life if you let her marry the wrong man." Caroline hit him hard with the phone in his chest, her mouth twisted in anger.

"What's got into you, Blondie? You're usually fighting for Elena, not me."

"Well, you need my help this time. Not Elena."

Damon thought back to when he first met Caroline. He, Elena, Caroline, Alaric and Jeremy, Elena's younger brother had met in school and were inseparable since. Of course, he and Alaric banded together like Elena and Caroline, and Jeremy always looked after the older men, wanting to be part of their immediate group.

Their parents had moved in the same circles, attending the same events and the five always ended up together, encouraged by their parents. Alaric and Damon had been two years older than the girls, and four years older than Jeremy but their dysfunctional friendship had worked, and they learned to love each other.

They got into trouble and mischief all the time, which didn't bode well with their parents and if it involved the boys and not the girls, Elena would have something to say about the bad influence they were to her younger brother but in the end, their love for one another kept their friendship together.

Damon's relationship wasn't ideal with his father and despite rarely hanging around together alone, whenever Damon got into a fight with his father, he found himself at Elena's door and seeking her company. Shortly after that Elena lost her parents to a crash she and Jeremy survived, and Damon became her rock like she was his.

After Damon's father died, Elena had been there for him in the same way. It didn't take long to realize their friendship had developed into love. There was bliss for a short period where they were head over heels for each other, but once again Damon's father put a stop to his happiness, ruining his life from the grave.

The will was read out, Damon was 'gifted' the company and all its dark secrets. They spent less time together, argued more, broke up more than they got back together and finally, broke up when they couldn't stand each other any longer. He lost his father, the love of his life and his youth all in one fell swoop.

Caroline pulled him from his thoughts once again, still talking. He tried to tune into what she was saying. "I know you love her, Damon, and you two are meant to be. Besides, we're sort of the same, you and I… we both have some things we're ashamed of. We push people away because of that, people we love. I don't want that to happen to you and Elena."

Damon stared at her for a moment before he took the phone back and dialed the love of his life. The woman he constantly hurt. He listened to the ringing for an age before Elena's voice came across the line, harsher than usual. "Caroline, what do you want? I don't think I'm ready to speak to you yet."

"Elena," Damon whispered into the phone.

Elena took a deep breath on the other end of the line, and Damon's eyes fluttered as he listened to the relaxed sound. "You're sober then," she answered, breaking them from the moment.

Damon grimaced, he deserved that. "I'm sorry, Elena."

"Don't," Elena snapped.

Damon's temper flared in irritation. She was always so stubborn. "Elena," he started again, glancing at Caroline for support who gave him an encouraging smile. "I am sorry, Elena. I love you."

"Don't even try. Can we talk about this another time? Or never? I'm busy, and I don't have the energy to listen to your pathetic attempts at an apology. Try again later, and use your own phone instead of using tricks to get me to talk to you. Coward."

Damon sighed as the line went dead and handed the phone back to Caroline, his stomach tightening with the dread that settled there. Caroline's face was twisted into a pained smile and Damon tried to take pity on her by smirking and looking less than bothered. "Thanks, blondie, but I'd love to be alone. Can you see yourself out?"

Caroline nodded, gathering her purse and lacking her usual banter. "Course. I'll stop by again tomorrow after work. She'll come to her senses, Damon. You're her one true love, I just know it. She always said she had found her knight in shining armor in you." Her tone was encouraging, and so was the way she patted his back but her face didn't follow her words.

"Sure, Caroline," he replied.

She smiled once more and turned to leave, shutting the door quietly behind her with a sad smile in his direction. Rubbing his weary face, he decided to get in the shower and wash away his grime and misery. Caroline wasn't wrong, and so neither was Elena: he was her knight, her dark knight that ruined her life.

* * *

Elena was still pissed on Saturday morning, a week after Damon's phone call. _"I'm sorry. I love you_." The audacity of him! How dare he call her after everything he had done? And when her fiancé was meeting her aunt for the first time too. Elena glanced at Elijah from the corner of her eye, thinking about the phone call that took place at Jenna's house.

 _Elena had been watching Elijah help Jenna with the cooking while Jeremy looked on from the table, trying to hide his amusement. Elijah had looked up from throwing flour in Jenna's face and gave Elena a beaming smile, and she couldn't fight the returning one that crossed her lips. Easy as breathing._

 _Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she removed it to see 'Caroline' on the screen. She answered the phone with a sarcastic greeting poised on her tongue, only to be sidetracked by the sound of Damon greeting her by name. Even in their roughest patches, and darkest hours, his voice was still capable of getting her attention._

 _Despite how cruel and dismissive she tried to be in order to pay him back for the hurt he had caused her, his voice managed to make her chest tighten in pain. Elena tried to gather anger by stroking the cut on her face, and reminding herself of the destruction that Damon was to her life, and how destructive they were together._

 _It scared her that she couldn't._

Elijah pulled Elena from her memory by pulling her tighter into his chest. Elena focused her eyes back on the film they were watching, and tried to assess how she felt being with Elijah. It surprised her to realize she did feel happy with him. Elijah was a gentleman, a prince, and he treated Elena like a princess.

The only problem being there was a secret part of Elena that did crave darkness, and wild, reckless fun. Elijah was courteous and polite, but sometimes all Elena wanted was someone fun, and out of control… someone like Damon. He was such an enigma, and being allowed into his life was such a privilege that she was excited about it.

His voice had always enticed her, and when she had heard him the other day, he sounded so desperate without her, pleading and almost… pathetic and behind that, always the same silky, smoky, sexy voice that made her want him. Damon was desperate, which was something he wasn't regularly and that made Elena curious.

Elena debated it, glancing at Elijah every couple of seconds and wondering if she should do what she was planning. Finally, she excused herself from Elijah's arms, pecked him on the cheek and walked out of the living room, and again, the same thought passed through her mind: easy, and as simple as breathing.

Feeling guilty as she took out her phone, she searched for Damon's contact number in her list and hovered her thumb over the call button. Before she could change her mind, she pressed call and put the phone to her ear. It rang for a few moments too long, pushing her to hover her thumb over the end button before the call suddenly connected.

"Elena," Damon greeted in his business voice, lacking his usual sensual flirtation which Elena had to admit to herself, was disappointing.

"Damon," Elena responded quickly, hoping to sound all business and no pleasure. "I'm surprised you're awake."

"Elena," he repeated her name as if telling her off.

Elena sighed. "Don't delay. You called, what did you want?"

"I didn't want to call, but Blondie insisted and I did want to make sure you were okay. I just wanted to apologize for… everything. I just wanted to talk, really."

"Good, so talk, I'm listening. Hurry, though, Elijah's waiting for me in the living room."

Damon's voice turned icy, full of anger and jealousy. "He's there?"

His voice reminded her of the four words he had said in the same tone: _you are_ _ **mine**_ _, Elena!_ Elena shook her head to the memory and quickly replied. "We're engaged, of course, he's here."

Damon took a deep breath that transformed into her name. "Elena." His tongue extended the 'e' and she felt her heart flutter. She had always loved that, and he knew it was something Elijah had never perfected in their relationship.

"Would you get to the point, please?" Elena snapped, trying to calm her racing heart.

"Why call me if you're so busy, Elena?" Damon snapped back.

Elena's eyes fluttered closed because her mouth had opened and she couldn't think of a single reason, other than the fact that she wanted to hear his voice. "I don't know… I just… wanted to know what you wanted to say."

Damon's silence hung heavy on the line before he cleared his throat. "I wanted to meet up, talk to you and give you something."

"Please tell me you're joking," Elena answered sarcastically, although her stomach flipped with excitement.

"I love you," Damon whispered quietly, throwing her completely off guard.

"You love me?" She repeated doubtfully. It wasn't like he hadn't told her before, and she'd returned the sentiment but she never heard it as regularly as he'd said it to her recently.

"Of course I do, Elena! I always will," he declared firmly.

Elena's veins ran hot and cold with anger and guilt. "You don't humiliate and frighten those you love, Damon."

Damon took in a sharp breath and let it out long and low so that it whistled over the line. "I'm so sorry, Elena."

"When and where?" Elena asked quickly, unsure why she was allowing this to happen but knowing she couldn't deny the excitement in her stomach.

"Central park in an hour?"

Elena chewed her lower lip. She was at cross roads, where she could walk into the living room to her fiancé, her prince and smile, laugh and be as easy as breathing. Her other choice was to go to her room and get ready to meet her dark knight, and possibly cause havoc to every good part of her life. She had to make a choice: her prince, or her dark knight?

"I'll be there."

* * *

 _ **Well, interesting things will come!**_

 _ **The next chapters will be up before the** **weekend** **ends, I promise!**_

 _ **Tell me what you think :))**_


	3. Goodbye, Brown Eyes

_**Hey,** **guys!**_

 _ **First of all, THANK YOU for the favs, follows and especially the REVIEWS! It made me so happy to see that you like this story and actually interested in what will happen next! HUGS!**_

 _ **Second, as I promised, here's the next chapter, delivered to you before the end of this weekend!**_

 _ **Hope you enjoy it!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Goodbye, Brown Eyes**

Damon listened to the dial tone for a moment before he finally found the sense to end the call. For a minute, he simply stared at his phone screen with dry lips and his heart pounding behind his ribcage. Elena wanted to see him. Most likely to kick him in the nuts for being a piece of shit, but at least she was willing to meet up with him face to face.

A realistic part of him reminded the excited butterflies in his belly that Elena was engaged, but the thought of her letting him go, or marrying another man was enough to turn his stomach. He realized their recent meetings weren't all that pleasant, but he always thought she would stick around.

 _You know I'll always be here if you need me._

Elena had promised him from the day his father had died that she would always be there for him. She had been the only one in his numb existence who had wanted to stay by his side, through thick and thin and care about him. Alaric had always been his best friend, but Elena was his soul mate.

It only seemed right in his messed-up life that she would leave him too. Damon was just planning what to wear to meet up with her when he heard his front door open. His heart skipped a beat, imagining it would be Elena as Ric would never come back, but the footsteps didn't match and only one other person would walk into his apartment.

"Caroline," he sang, feeling more chipper after talking to Elena. "What do I owe the pleasure, Blondie?"

Caroline rounded the corner and spied him at the counter. Seeming to notice his improved mood, she gave him a winning smile. "Just wanted to check up on you." She took a seat at the bar and primly folded her legs. "You haven't picked up your phone since last week, needed to ensure you hadn't drowned in your own vomit."

Damon rolled his eyes at her sarcastic tone. "Elena called."

This had the desired effect because her eyes widened. "That's great! What did she say?"

Damon refilled his drink with the bottle next to him and swirled it to avoid looking at Caroline. "She agreed to meet me… I should actually get going," he decided and downed his newly poured drink.

Caroline tsked at his day drinking but she seemed so excited by the news that even Damon's annoying habits couldn't wipe the smile off her face. "See! I told you things would turn out all right."

Damon shrugged, reluctant to be as naïve as Caroline and believe that meeting with Elena meant she was going to drop her British fiancé and come back to him. The more he thought about it, the less optimistic he felt, pretty sure that this would be goodbye for him and Elena, a day he never truly believed would come for the two of them.

Caroline lingered around his apartment while he got ready, pretending that she was just pottering around when in reality the apartment was sparkling clean as they exited the door. She insisted on coming with Damon to watch him and Elena from afar, but Damon declined, knowing it was going to be a scene Caroline wasn't expecting for them.

"It's going to be boring," he insisted as they headed for the car park.

Caroline snorted. "You and Elena, boring? Have you met you guys?"

Damon rolled his eyes. "Fine, it's not going to be the happy ending you're looking for."

Caroline sighed and stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "Listen, I'm not as stupid as I look. I know you have some stuff to work out between you, and Elena is in a relationship. But you're my best friends and your love… it's epic. I want to be there for you, Damon."

Damon tried to avoid her eyes but finally groaned. "Fine! Wait in the car, and don't you dare get out. If Elena sees you, she'll kill us both." Caroline grinned with an enthusiastic nod and got in the passenger seat.

* * *

"Elena?" Elijah asked as she entered the living room, coat in hand.

Elena shrugged it on and buckled it up, refusing to look into his eyes in case he could read from her guilty expression where she was going. "Yes?"

Elijah remained quiet, and Elena repressed a sigh, knowing he wasn't going to talk until she looked him in the eye. Parting her hair and zipping her coat up to her throat, she looked him in the eye and smiled, coaxing him to respond to her. "Where are you going?"

"I just need to run some errands. I'll be back as soon as I can," she lied.

Lying made her stomach twist, because to lie was to work the brain and it was hard, which was everything her relationship with Elijah wasn't. It was easy, as simple as breathing. No lies, and no secrets. But she couldn't admit where she was really going, or who she was going to see. She couldn't even admit it to herself.

Elena bent and pressed a kiss to Elijah's face before he could respond. Waving goodbye silently, she made haste to the hallway and grabbed her boots to leave the house. As she shut the front door behind her and got into her car for her meet up with Damon, Elena tried to remind herself who she had chosen, and that was Elijah.

She refused to look back at the home she shared with her fiancé, although she could feel his eyes staring into her back as she climbed into her car and started the engine. The guilt in her heart as she drove away from his watchful gaze reminded her of the last time she was in this situation.

Her feelings were a lot different in that instance, as she had decided to forgive Damon for the reason they'd broken up, to give him another shot. Her heart had been thrumming with excitement and joy to reunite with him, and finally call him hers again. Unfortunately, when she had arrived it had all gone to hell.

* * *

" _Don't lie to me, Elena," Caroline demanded as they left their favorite café._

 _Elena sighed, her stomach swollen with the delicious breakfast she had with Caroline. She'd had a lovely morning with her best friend but said the best friend was now trying her hardest to pry information out of Elena, and wouldn't quit until Elena 'fessed up. They turned onto Caroline's street and Elena smiled, hoping her best friend would drop the subject._

 _Caroline, not one to give up on a good lecture, turned in her seat and left her door locked. "I know you and Damon had a horrible break up, but it's been more than a month. Don't let it ruin your life, you're miserable ever since."_

" _I'm not," Elena defended instantly. At Caroline's face, she sighed and softened her tone. "I'm really not, Care. I know what I need to do, and I'll do it."_

" _Elena, please. You've practically been in mourning! You don't even want to hang out together anymore," Caroline pouted, hurt clouding her words. "It's a miracle I could drag you to our spot this morning!"_

 _Elena rolled her eyes. "You're so dramatic!"_

" _Am not," Caroline defended._

 _Elena smiled and indicated her head towards Caroline's home. "Come on, I'll be fine."_

 _Caroline sighed and opened her car door. "I just really want you to be happy. You're better off without him."_

" _Bye, Care!" Elena laughed, shoving her out._

 _Caroline got out giggling and Elena waved as she drove off. The minute her best friend faded from her rear-view mirror, the smile slid off of Elena's face. Caroline was wrong because Elena was hiding the fact that she did plan to forgive Damon and try to get back together. The problem was that she didn't want her best friend to lecture her._

 _As Elena drove towards Central Park, her heart thrummed with excitement. She planned to intercept Damon during his morning jog at Central Park, which he did on every other day. She did feel slightly guilty for not telling Caroline what she had decided about hers and Damon's relationship, or that she planned to meet him._

 _On the other hand, Elena was terrified about the effects of the decision she was about to make. If she succeeded in talking things out with Damon, would he hurt her again in the future? She knew she needed to be brave and forgiving, but it was easier said than done, and if they did make up, how would Caroline react?_

 _Surely she would understand that everyone deserved a second chance. Right?_

Elena pulled into her parking space and took a deep breath, her heart hammering and her pulse vibrating in her throat. Was she stupid for coming here? Should she go back home to Elijah? Was this all going to unfold like last time?

 _Taking a deep breath of fresh air in Central Park, Elena smiled at the joggers and people taking a stroll. She liked being here and observing children feeding the ducks, older generations reading a book on the bench and business people in crisp suits and pencil skirts, hustling to get to work and drinking strong cups of coffee._

 _Elena walked around the park for a while, her eyes peeled to spot Damon in the horde of joggers trailing the edges of the park. Finally, she gave up and decided to head home. Perhaps he had changed his jogging pattern or just decided to skip a day. Struggling to dampen her disappointment, Elena chastised herself._

 _It was silly to try and intercept him like a shy teenager. She was a grown woman, and he was a grown man who was more than capable sharing a text or phone call and arranging to meet up. Elena was just pulling out her phone to ring him with this new resolve when her eyes scanned right over him._

 _Her heart skipped a beat and she took an excited step forward, stuffing her phone in her pocket. She had made a good distance towards him when her eyes finally processed what she was seeing and informed her brain. Damon wasn't alone, and he certainly wasn't jogging. His hand was gliding down the petite back of a black-haired woman, and he was whispering in her ear._

 _Elena's eyes bounced from Damon's hand on the woman's exposed skin, the intimate way in which he bent to her ear, and the girl's flirtatious smile. Elena's heart ached at the sight, and her brain taunted her with the evidence that Damon had moved on. She turned away sharply, her eyes and throat stinging._

 _She couldn't stand to watch the two together. Just as she took a step forward, a hand closed around her arm and spun her around. Elena gasped as her eyes connected with Damon's wide blue ones. Her eyes watered and his face crumpled because he knew she had seen him._

" _Elena?" He whispered._

 _Elena's lip wobbled and she violently yanked herself out of his grip, turning on her heel and heading away as fast as possible. Her chest pumped violently against her chest and her throat closed so tight she could barely breathe._

" _Elena, wait!" Damon shouted behind her._

 _He managed to grab her up again and Elena shoved him off, tears now streaming down her face in an obvious display of her heartache. "Stay away from me!" She hissed._

" _Elena, please!" Damon begged, struggling to keep a hold of her. "Isobel is no one, I swear to God I still lo-"_

" _Don't!" Elena gasped. "Don't say it, and don't ever speak to me again!"_

 _People were beginning to look at them and from over Damon's shoulder Elena could see the black-haired woman hanging back, waiting for him. Trying to get herself under control, Elena took a couple more steps back from him. "As far as I'm concerned, our relationship never happened," she bit out spitefully._

 _Damon's face flashed with agony. "Elena."_

 _Her blood ran cold as he said her name. It was filled with so much pain and regret her whole body jerked as if she was trying to comfort him and run away at the same time. Taking a deep breath, Elena turned and walked away from the love of her life, and refused to spare him another glance._

* * *

Elena gasped as the pain radiated through her chest. The pain was still there, despite the time that unfolded in between it. Since then, Damon had only caused her more heartache and confusion. Many of times he was a dark cloud that followed her, and no matter how many umbrellas she opened, he always threatened to rain on her.

She glanced at herself in the mirror, her own face projecting how torn she was. Elijah was waiting at home for her, the man she planned to marry and start a life within less than a month. She shouldn't be here, sneaking around to see her ex-partner. A part of her heart broke of what she was about to do.

Elena rested her head on her steering wheel, closing her eyes and sighing. Was it fair to give up on Damon? To be selfish, and choose Elijah, because he was better for her? Was it fair to use Elijah like that? Damon never gave up on her and was always there when she needed him. He wasn't always so bad for her health.

" _Something this beautiful deserves to be worn by someone worthy of its beauty,"_ he would say whenever he gifted her something such as new clothes, or the necklace he had brought for her birthday. Damon had good qualities, and the best one was how fiercely he loved her. The problem was, Damon felt so deeply.

His love for her was twisted into desperation, anxiety, jealousy and paranoia. He was so afraid of losing her that he convinced himself that pushing her away was only preparing him for the inevitable moment Elena left him. A number of times he had used the line, " _I'm sorry, Elena. I screwed up_ ," and it was too many to be healthy. Screwing up was what Damon did best.

Elena sat up and finally decided to get out the car. What she was doing was wrong, and disrespectful to Elijah but she felt as if this would be the last time for her and Damon. She was only coming to say goodbye, and hear what he had to say in order to obtain closure.

Locking the car door behind her, Elena tucked her hands into her coat and made her way to the spot her and Damon always met at. He was waiting for her, as he usually was in the bubble that was there's alone, and no worries from the outside world were allowed to penetrate. It was just about them in there.

Damon had his back to her, and he was smoking which was something Elena hadn't seen in a few years. Perhaps it was to curb the drinking: stop one addiction with another. He was dressed in all black: jeans, boots and leather jacket which emphasized his shoulders and dark hair. The wind was hard, throwing Elena's hair into her eyes and mouth.

Gathering it together, Elena stopped behind Damon and tucked it down her back. "Damon."

Damon's back stiffened as if he hadn't expected her to really show up. He turned to face her, revealing his matching black t-shirt. Elena's heart pounded at his gorgeous blue eyes but they were spoiled by the lack of sleep staining them. However, he had a five o'clock shadow, something Elena always thought he sported well.

Damon flicked his cigarette away and then looked back at Elena. "You came," he said by way of greeting.

Elena bit her tongue. The sarcastic manner in which he spoke to her, and the caress of his eyes over her body, clearly showing that he was mentally undressing her, made Elena want to kiss and kill him all at once. "I've just come to hear you out, for the last time."

Damon nodded sharply. "I'm sorry."

Elena sighed, disappointed and ready to leave. "Is that all?"

"Elena," he hissed, annoyed already. They managed to boil each other's blood effortlessly. "After what happened, I couldn't be sorrier for what I said and did."

Elena couldn't think what to reply, so Damon took her silence and ran with it. "I never want you to be afraid of me, Elena, and you have never been. We're passionate, not violent and I hate that I've tainted us like that."

"I'm not afraid of you, Damon," Elena whispered. This may be the last time they would speak, and she didn't want him to leave feeling guilty for the wrong things. There was already so much for him to feel guilty for. "You shocked me. Angered me. But you didn't scare me because you smashed a table. I was scared _for_ you. I was scared that you were self-destructing, and that you weren't the Damon I knew."

Damon seemed speechless and he almost staggered as he sat on the bench behind him. Relief flooded his face, and Elena smiled softly. She took a seat next to him, and spoke honestly with him, trying to help him for the last time. "You're your own enemy. The most self-destructive person I know. You let misery rule you, and you're letting it overwhelm you. There's so much good for you, but you won't look for it."

"I'm sorry," he said again as if he couldn't determine what else to say.

"Don't be," Elena replied simply.

Damon cleared his throat. "I have something for you."

Elena frowned in puzzlement and sat back as he dug in his jacket pocket. His fingers pulled back and were clasped around a velvet black box. Elena's heart thumped and she gasped. "Damon, please tell me you're not doing what I think you're doing..."

Damon shook his head. "No. I've had it for a long time… a really long time. But I've never been brave enough to do it. But it always belonged to you."

Elena's eyes spilled over the same moment they filled up. When she spoke, her voice cracked in a sob. "I would have said yes."

Damon's eyes fluttered closed and open in a millisecond, and his jaw clenched in obvious pain. "I know that now."

Elena swallowed tightly. "It doesn't change anything now, though."

Damon nodded and pressed the box into her hand. "I didn't expect it to. I just wanted to apologize, and let you know that I always thought you were perfect. That I wanted you to be my wife. I didn't want your last memory of us, or the way I felt about you to be the way I acted the other night. I want you to know how I really feel."

Damon smirked, trying to lighten the mood and take away her pain, as usual. His thumb stroked over her cheek as he spoke, "I love you, Elena. I always will."

He stood from the bench and bent slightly to press a tender kiss to the crown of her head. "Goodbye, Elena."

For the first time in all of their relationship, and all the years Elena had known him, Damon walked away from her. Elena stood quickly, her vision blurry from tears and legs shaking. Somehow she made it back to her car and with shaky fingers unlocked the door, throwing herself into the driver's side. There, she broke down and sobbed.

* * *

Damon hurried out of the park with a tight jaw and shaking hands. He felt sick. Making it to his car, he unlocked the door and threw himself inside. His hands were still shaking as he gripped the steering wheel.

"Damon?" Caroline whispered. "Guess that was some goodbye, right?"

"Yeah," he snapped, starting the car.

Caroline fell silent before attempting another conversation. "Damon…"

"Caroline," he bit out. "Please."

They drove in silence all the way to his apartment. Caroline's car was in his building car park so he had to take her back, despite the fact her apartment was closer to Central Park. She climbed out with him and he promised he would call her later. She smiled in agreement, but they both knew he wouldn't.

They both knew he was going to go up to his apartment, lock his door, turn off his phone and drink himself into a drunken, Elena-less oblivion filled with misery and regret. Happiness was no longer an option in his lifetime, and so he was going to become more than best friends with his bottle of bourbon.

* * *

 _ **Sooooo what do you think?**_

 _ **Let me know! :)**_


	4. Moving To Nowhere

_**Hello, lovelies!**_

 _ **I'm so grateful for your favs, follows and reviews! Keep 'em coming, I'd really like to know what you think of the story!**_

 _ **Thanks to my beta for correcting it!**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Moving To Nowhere**

Elena was still sighing to herself a couple of days later on Monday evening _. I'm so stupid. Why did I go and meet him? Am I still in love with him?_

Elena swallowed at the same loop of thoughts in her head. It wouldn't change a thing if she was. She had made her choice, and that was Elijah. The wedding was well under way and looming closer. Elijah was a good man, and she did love him, even if it wasn't in the passionate, all-consuming way she once loved Damon.

Her stomach tightened at the mess still occurring in her life. She and Damon may have said goodbye, but he was still on her mind and there were other parts of her life that weren't going according to plan. Esther Mikaelson still didn't approve of her and Elijah, and certainly wasn't enthusiastic about the wedding.

Elena and Elijah were arguing about where to live after they had tied the knot. Whether to move Elijah's life to New York or Elena's to England. The most plausible answer was going to England, where Elena could use her connection to the Mikaelson name, and Esther to begin her own editing company.

Not that connections to his name made Elijah more appealing. He was a good man, and he did make her happy. If she hadn't have met Damon first, she could move to England without a doubt, but she did meet Damon first, and now she was always going to worry about him. He was so unpredictable and it scared her.

One minute she was reading about his booming business in the New York Times and the next she was getting phone calls from his favorite bar because he had drank himself unconscious, and she was his first emergency contact. He wasn't stable, and yet she couldn't get away from him.

The funniest part was, she held on to anger for Damon because he didn't let her go, and now he had said goodbye, giving her permission to move on and be happy without his involvement, and she hated him even more. She felt abandoned by him because he had finally given up and that wasn't fair. She couldn't have both, and she couldn't win.

"Elena?" Elijah called as he stepped in the front door from work.

Elena got in at least an hour before him and had already changed into some pajamas due to lack of plans. Instead, she had grabbed a cup of coffee and a bridal magazine to curl up on the sofa with until Elijah came back and they decided on dinner. She looked up now from her magazine to see Elijah smiling at her. "Find anything?" He indicated the magazine.

Elena shrugged, closing the magazine and placing it on her lap. "I had planners take over most of it. I don't know if it's going to be big, or small, or what more can I add."

Elijah sighed and walked further into the living room to sit next to her. "You shouldn't be unsure of your own wedding… perhaps it's too fast for us?"

Elena's heart skipped a beat. He knew. Elijah knew she had met up with Damon and now he was calling off the wedding. "What?" She squeaked.

"I don't feel like we have enough input into our own wedding. Why don't we enjoy our engagement some more and have a word with my mother about the plans?"

"You don't want to marry me?" Elena whispered, her throat tight.

Elijah frowned and laughed slightly. "Elena, of course, I want you to be my wife." He gathered her hands in his and kissed them softly.

Elena sighed in relief. "Then why wait?"

Elijah grinned sheepishly. "I only intend to marry once, Elena, and I want the wedding to represent me and my gorgeous wife."

Elena's cheeks flushed with guilt. She may not have been too bothered that wedding planners were designing her big day, but Elijah wanted it to be perfect. He wanted to make her happy, and she couldn't even listen to what he had to say without thinking about herself. "You're right," she agreed. "I want some more involvement too."

Elijah grinned. "Excellent. There's a gala this Friday evening, and if we like the venue, we can have our engagement party there. You can have another chance with my mother, and we can discuss our desire to be more involved with the wedding."

She smiled and snuggled closer to him as he played with her hair. "Sounds really good."

Elijah pressed a kiss to her forehead. There was silence before he spoke again. "So, will you invite Caroline to the gala? I assume she'll want to scope out the venue and decide if it's good enough for the engagement party."

"No," Elena said shortly, sitting up so that Elijah's hand fell from her curls.

"Elena," Elijah chastised. "She's your best friend."

"She broke my friendship when she started to hang around and act like Da-" Elena cut off quickly, her cheeks flushing.

Elijah seemed to consider finishing the name for her before he let it pass. "You need her," he said simply and tenderly stroked her hand with his thumb. Elena remained tight-lipped and he smiled, diverting the conversation. "Come on, let's go cake testing."

Elena found herself laughing. "Everything will be closed soon."

"Not for me," he replied cheekily.

Elena grinned. "I do love you," she said firmly.

Elijah's lip curled sadly. "I know."

* * *

"Perfect," Isobel said enthusiastically into the mouthpiece of her phone. Alaric trailed next to her, hoping she would hurry with her call and give him some attention. "I can't wait to meet you… thank you... Goodbye."

Alaric grinned at her because she was smiling and he enjoyed it when she was happy. "Who was that?"

"Just a friend I'm meeting up with soon," Isobel responded quickly.

Alaric raised his brow at her fast response but otherwise kept quiet. As they walked down the street hand in hand, having just met Isobel from work, Alaric caught sight of two familiar faces on the opposite side. Elena and Elijah had stepped into a luxury cake shop and were smiling happily.

Alaric guessed they were picking out their cake, with the wedding being less than a month away. At Elena's beaming face, Alaric wondered if she missed Damon, or truly loved Elijah. His thoughts wandered over to his former best friend who was most likely alone in his apartment, drinking until he couldn't feel the emptiness of Elena anymore.

His heart pounded with guilt as he looked at Isobel and thought about Damon. He had chosen Isobel because he loved her and he was sure Damon would have chosen Elena if she had ever made him choose. Isobel was amazing, and nothing like other women he knew. She was beautiful, classy and enjoyed sports.

Deep down he felt Isobel was selfish to ask him to choose between her and his best friend. However, if Damon hadn't been so different and nothing like the Damon he had grown up with, then he would never have left him. He would have worked something out with Isobel so that he could have kept them both.

But Damon was different. He was more Giuseppe than ever, and Alaric hated it. He was aware that Damon had never had an easy life apart from his wealth. A father that hated and beat him, and a half brother that always wanted to screw him over. No success in long lasting relationships, and a love so powerful between him and Elena it always destroyed them.

As Alaric looked at Elena now, he wished that she would go back to Damon. She didn't seem to realize that Damon only ever did wrong when they were apart. He couldn't cope without her because she was the love of his life and the only hope he had. Alaric and Caroline had never understood it, but Damon and Elena clicked.

He was cunning, witty and sarcastic. Brutal, honest and cut throat. Elena was stunning, crafty, forgiving and full of love. They were fire and ice, but together they could rule the earth. They made each other invincible and when they separated they were devastated, pushed to the point where they could barely function.

Alaric thought of the state he had left Damon in, and his best friends words made his heart burn with guilt.

" _If you walk out of that door, don't ever come back."_

* * *

"Damon?" A voice called his name, but he couldn't bring himself to open his eyes.

His eyelids felt glued together and his whole body radiated with pain. Someone called his name again and shook his shoulder, forcing a groan to slip out of his mouth. As his brain started functioning again, he finally realized who was trying to drag him from his slumber and into the world of a stinking hangover.

"What are you doing here, little Gilbert?" Damon murmured, pressing his face deeper into his sofa.

"I'm checking to see if you're still breathing," Jeremy snapped, surprising Damon enough to open his eyes.

Jeremy didn't usually get angry unless it was something to do with Elena. That was probably why he was here really, come to chew Damon out for hurting his sister again. "Well, I'm breathing," Damon groaned as he sat up on his sofa.

"What's your problem?" Jeremy spat, his voice full of venom. "Do you want to die?"

Damon shuffled around so he was facing the youngest Gilbert, someone, who he counted as his brother as much as Alaric. He got a good look at Jeremy and noticed how much more mature he looked with his shorter hair and broader body. Despite his anger, his eyes were worried and tight. Damon's stomach turned because he hadn't seen Jeremy look like that in years.

 _"Elena will be okay, Jer," Alaric reassured Elena's younger brother._

 _Jeremy nodded and Damon watched his eyes go unfocused as he relieved the last few minutes. Elena had been found unconscious on the floor in her room with an empty bottle of pills next to her._

 _"She should have talked to me," Jeremy said bitterly with tears pouring down his face._

 _Damon thought the same thing and his heart was aching with the knowledge that Elena had felt alone enough to try and take her own life. She hadn't even tried to contact him, which meant if she had succeeded then Damon would have no last words from Elena Gilbert. She would have just been gone from his life._

 _"This is all my fault," Jeremy moaned, pulling his hair by the roots. "I shouldn't have said the things I did! I don't blame her for our parent's death. She knows that really, right?"_

 _Damon's throat tightened and he looked away because truth be told he did blame the little dick. How was a car crash Elena's fault? Jeremy should never have said those things to her, and he had hurt her enough to want to die. Damon loved Jeremy but right now he wanted to kill him, and he didn't know if he could ever forgive the youngest Gilbert._

 _"She knows you'd always be there for her, Jeremy," Alaric reassured him as they turned down the road towards the hospital. "This isn't your fault."_

 _Yes, it is, Damon thought. A few minutes later they were exiting the car and jogging into the entrance of the hospital. Caroline, her mother Liz and her boyfriend Tyler stood against the wall. Jenna sat alone on one of the waiting chairs, her head in her hands and sobs wracking her body._

 _Jeremy immediately ran to his aunt and hugged her. "How is she?"_

 _Jenna lifted her head and ran her sleeve over her nose. With a juicy sniffle, she responded, "She's stable now. They had to pump her stomach. Overdose…" Jenna trailed off with her eyes closed. "I don't understand. Elena's so full of life, why would she do this?"_

 _Damon walked away, not prepared to listen to Jeremy's broken sobs of guilt. He found the door to Elena's room and found her in bed. He wondered why no one was in there. She looked so small and alone, shrouded by all the blankets. Damon bent his head and pressed it to the glass, his heart pounding with fear._

 _As he opened his eyes again, he clenched his jaw, remembering her tiny form lying on the floor and not moving. The image would forever be engraved in his mind. He knew she would be okay now, the pills had been removed from her body but mentally she wasn't okay. She was grieving and trying to guide her younger brother._

 _"Damon," Alaric appeared beside him. "Why aren't you with the others?"_

 _"I don't want to be," he snapped and Alaric sighed._

 _"Jeremy's young, and grieving too. It's not his fault, Damon," Alaric insisted._

 _"Yes, it is," Damon responded sharply._

 _"Okay, man," Alaric said helplessly, making his way over to Caroline and her small group._

 _Damon groaned quietly when he left. Alaric was right. It wasn't Jeremy's fault and he couldn't blame the younger Gilbert. The kid was too fragile, and Damon didn't want him to be in Elena's situation because he felt like he had no one. A doctor exited Elena's room, startling Damon who walked briskly over to him._

 _"How is she?" Damon demanded._

 _"Her tests are good, and she's stable now that her stomach has been pumped. Physically she will be fine, we're now preparing to help her mentally."_

 _"Can we see her?" Caroline asked over his shoulder._

 _The doctor shook his head. "Not just now. She does need to recuperate."_

 _Damon didn't like it but he nodded. "Thank you for saving her life, doctor."_

 _The doctor smiled. "Don't thank me. Thank whoever Damon is. In between consciousness, Elena kept mentioning that he was her reason to live."_

 _"Thank you for saving my life," Elena had whispered the minute he was allowed to see her._

Damon shook his head at Jeremy. "No, I don't."

"How much did you have to drink?" Jeremy asked, relaxing a little now.

"A lot," Damon laughed, glancing at the empty bottles around him.

Jeremy shook his head in exasperation. "Do you think you're going to get Elena back like this?"

"I'm not trying to get Elena back," Damon snapped, grabbing a pillow and pressing his face into it. He would ignore the little punk until he left or he would call the police on him for harassing him.

Jeremy was silent as he examined the state of Damon's apartment. "I met with Caroline and Liz. Caroline said she'll be around later, and Mrs. Forbes said to remind you to stop by your company at some point."

Damon didn't respond because no excuse would keep Caroline away and he had no care left for his dying company. Jeremy waited expectantly but finally sighed in disappointment. The younger Gilbert set down the bottle he had been holding and walked out of Damon's apartment without a word, finally leaving him alone once more.

* * *

"Thank you for meeting me," Isobel smiled.

The man opposite her smiled back as they shook hands. Isobel's eyes scanned over her guest, trying to compare him to his half-brother. He was taller, had more stubble on his jaw, darker skin and an arrogant smirk.

"Well, I have a standing appointment once a year to torture my brother, but I never thought I would get such a… tempting offer," Stefan responded, releasing Isobel's hand.

The two sat down at the table they had grabbed in a small corner café. The day was bright so they sat outside with an iced tea for Isobel and a glass of bourbon for Stefan. Isobel's eyes were shaded by her sun hat, and Stefan's were covered by his wraparound sunglasses. Isobel took a sip of her tea as she listened to Stefan speak before placing her glass down on a napkin.

"Well, I want justice, Stefan. I knew you would understand that, and help," Isobel smirked, her finger trailing the rim of her glass.

Stefan leaned back in his chair, his large hand curled around his drink as he debated what Isobel had said. "Revenge is my middle name," he finally answered. "So get to the point. Why do you want this 'justice' and what's in it for me?"

Isobel's lip curled in hatred. "Giuseppe killed my mother. I've never had the chance to know her, because of the Salvatore name."

Stefan raised his brow in surprise. "I hate Damon's guts, but how is this his fault? I'm assuming from your age that Damon would have been nothing but a boy when you lost your mother."

"Giuseppe is dead," Isobel hissed. "He tried to cover my mother's death up to save his precious company and so I want that company to be destroyed. It's nothing against Damon overall, he's just a means to an end."

"Fine," Stefan brushed it off. "What's your proposition?"

Isobel grinned again. "Alaric told me that he lost that Gilbert girl, this time for good. She's engaged to some English guy, and Damon's at rock bottom because of it. Another push and he might not resurface."

Stefan took a sip of his drink before replying. "Elena Gilbert?"

Isobel nodded, wondering why Stefan was so interested as his body language and voice portrayed him to be. "Damon embarrassed Elena in front of her future mother in law, and then lashed out when she turned up at his apartment."

"So he has no girl, and from what you've told me, no best friend and now all that's left to take from him is his company," Stefan summarized. At Isobel's nod, Stefan shrugged. "You still haven't told me what's in it for me."

"If you can successfully take the company from Damon, it legally falls to you," Isobel responded simply. "You get to destroy Damon and the company. Take the last of his money, and legacy."

Stefan took a while to consider it and Isobel glanced at her watch. "My lunch is almost over. Do we have a deal?"

Stefan smirked. "I can't deny that I like the idea. Fine, what's your plan?"

* * *

 _ **How was it? Let me know! :)**_


	5. Better the Devil You Know

_**Hey guys,**_

 _ **Sorry for the delay, but I barely had time the last week to even use my laptop let alone update this story. So here's the next chapter which is slightly shorter than the other ones but still I hope you like it! :)**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Better the Devil You Know**

Elena chewed her nails nervously as the phone rang. After a few more seconds, it finally picked up. "Liz?"

"Elena?" Liz asked with surprise. "It's so good to hear from you! I heard about the engagement, congratulations!"

Elena smiled at her motherly tone. She was an amazing person, and she'd always been there for Elena and Jeremy, even before their parents had died. "Thank you, Liz. Actually, I'm calling because I want to invite you to a gala this Friday. Me and Elijah are going to scope it out for the engagement party and we want everyone's opinions."

"Ah… yes," Liz responded, hesitant. Elena frowned, wondering why she was so reluctant. "Jenna did actually mention the gala, and it sounds fun! But she did mention that Caroline won't be on the guest list, Elena."

Elena swallowed in embarrassment. "Caroline and I… had a disagreement. But I don't want that to affect the relationship between me and you, or our families."

Liz sighed. "I love you, Elena as if you were my own and I loved your parents. But Caroline is my family, and if she can't come then I'm afraid I can't either. I'm trying to be there for her a bit more after the whole Tyler business."

Elena thought back to that 'business' and how Caroline and Tyler were always on and off throughout high school. Tyler was a year older and left town for college before Caroline was of age, but they loved each other enough to try long distance. After many years of struggling to keep the fire going in their relationship, a few weeks ago they'd finally ended it.

"Of course," Elena relented. "It was lovely to speak to you."

"Elena," Liz called before she could hang up. Elena waited for what she had to say. "She misses you, a lot."

Elena nodded, despite Liz not being able to see her. They said their goodbyes and Elena hung up. As her phone took her back to her list of contacts, her thumb scrolled through until she found Caroline's name. Her pride was the only thing stopping her from getting in touch with her best friend.

Elena didn't want to appear weak, because she was hurt that Caroline took Damon's side, despite the hurt Damon had inflicted upon Elena. But the truth was she did miss her best friend and she couldn't believe she was going to have an engagement party without her input, and potentially marry without her maid of honor.

She desperately needed Caroline. She needed someone to talk to about Elijah, about Damon, about the move to England, or to stay in New York. She knew deep down that Caroline was looking after Damon because Liz had always been there for Damon like she had been for Jeremy and Elena herself, and she did love him as much as she loved Elena.

Elena knew she was being silly, and petty, but she could admit to herself that she was jealous. She always felt that Caroline got on with Damon in a way that Elena couldn't, and made him do things that Elena could never persuade him to do. They fought nine times out of ten, but Caroline and Damon had a brother-sister bond that Elena struggled to understand.

Without realizing it, she was clicking Caroline's contact number and the phone was ringing. "Elena?" Caroline answered.

"Caroline, hi," Elena greeted her, her cheeks flaming despite Caroline not being able to see her.

"I just got off the phone with your mom," Elena admitted, not sure where to start. "I invited her to the gala on Friday, but she said she wouldn't come without you…"

Caroline paused before replying, "Are you inviting me?"

"Of course. I can't wait to see you, and I'm so sorry, Care," Elena whispered sheepishly. "I've really missed you."

"I've missed you too, Elena." Caroline sighed as if she was going to mention Damon before her tone changed. "So, am I right in thinking that this is a potential venue for the engagement party?"

Elena grinned at her excited question. "Only if my maid of honor likes it."

Caroline sniffled. "Oh, Elena. You want me to be your maid of honor?"

"Of course," Elena replied quickly, guilty that she had hurt her friend so much.

"Thank you so much," Caroline whispered.

Elena smiled. "You're welcome, Care. I'll see you Friday."

"Wait!" Caroline interrupted. "Would it be okay if I had a plus one?"

Elena raised a brow at her nails. "Sure. Anyone I know?"

"I'm saying nothing," Caroline giggled.

"See you on Friday with your mystery guy," Elena laughed.

"Count on it. Give my best to Elijah." Caroline struggled to sound sincere, and Elena knew she didn't like him, but she appreciated the effort.

"Bye, Care."

"Bye, 'Lena."

* * *

Damon's eyes blinked open, penetrated by the morning sunlight. A groan built in his throat but it followed with a cough, wracking his chest. He felt awful, and he knew it wasn't just a hangover. He was getting sick. Damon sat up and glanced around, deciding today he would have to clean his apartment, shower and change his clothes.

As he stood from his sofa, where he found himself falling asleep most nights, he glanced over at a photo frame perched on his fireplace. Himself and Stefan as younger children, in one of the rare moments they got along. For a moment, he wondered if things had been different, would they have gotten along?

Damon found himself picking the photo up and examining it. Despite his poor relationship with his half-brother, he found that he missed their lack of bond. He thought about how they had been both brought into the world, and if they had been doomed to hate each other from the start, because of who their father was.

 _When Giuseppe Salvatore met Lillian Bellegarde, he knew that she was going to be the love of his life. He had engaged in many one night stands and had a son as a result of one of them. Stefan's mother had been a young, poor woman who struggled with the idea of being a mother, and so in return for his first heir, Giuseppe had offered the woman an out by raising their son._

 _Giuseppe learned to adore Stefan, despite the sudden and unplanned pregnancy, but in order to give his son everything he deserved, he spent a lot of time building and maintaining his company. Because of this, Giuseppe felt as if he needed to give Stefan a female presence and a mother he had never had._

 _Meeting the ebony haired, blue eyed beauty that was Lillian ticked all of Giuseppe Salvatore's boxes. Not many months into their relationship, Giuseppe had proposed. Less than a year following their engagement, the two of them were married. Giuseppe had everything: his company, a beautiful wife, an heir and a loving home._

 _Giuseppe was happy, but Lillian wasn't because despite treating and feeling as if Stefan was her own son, she wanted a baby that she had carried and birthed, that was both hers and Giuseppe's child. Being the love of his life, Giuseppe didn't wish to deny his wife anything and following the wedding, Lillian was swollen with the pregnancy of his second son._

 _Five days before Lillian's due date, Giuseppe received the call that his wife was in the hospital and not long following his father's arrival, Damon Salvatore was born the image of his mother. Giuseppe's heart swelled with the love he felt for his small family and he returned home with Stefan, promising to go back to the hospital the next day._

 _Unfortunately, early hours of the morning Giuseppe was called back to the hospital, where the doctors and nurses apologized for the loss of his wife, who had simply lost too much blood, and undergone too much trauma to pull through. They asked if he would like to see his son, but all he saw when he looked at the child was the woman he would never get back._

Damon swallowed tightly as he stared at the picture, his lip curled as he remembered his father taunting him with the story of his birth and the death of his mother. Stefan had heard it too and used every opportunity to remind Damon that he was always destined to destroy people's lives. Their brother bond had been destroyed ever since.

* * *

 _ **Sorry for the lack of Delena but I promise you'll get plenty of them in future chapters!**_

 _ **Until next time :)**_


	6. Unexpected Visitors and Bourbon

_**Hey guys! I was meant to upload this chapter yesterday but I totally forgot with all the things I had to do over the weekend. But here it is!**_

 _ **Thank to my beta for looking it over! :)**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 6: Unexpecte** **d** **Visitors and Bourbon**

Damon could admit that his apartment stunk like a homeless den for squatters. He grimaced as he threw out empty bottles of alcohol. After having a shower, brushing his teeth and changing his clothes, he could truly see how grubby his home looked. He'd been cleaning for well over an hour now, but he'd barely dented the mess.

The door knocked and Damon paused before he threw another bottle into the bin. He didn't want to see anyone today, and if it was Caroline she would just walk through the door right after she knocked anyway. He turned from the bin and stacked his dirty glasses into his sink, putting his back to the front door.

Seconds later, with no returning knock, his front door opened and closed. Damon glanced over his shoulder, about to greet Caroline with a sarcastic comment when he realized who it was. His face contorted into one of surprise and anger. "What the hell are you doing here?" He snapped.

Looking smug, and with every right to be in his apartment, Stefan and Isobel looked back at him. "You've let yourself go, brother," Stefan smirked with a glance at the mess.

Damon schooled his features, hating that they had caught him with his apartment in such a state and looking less than his best. Shower and fresh clothes couldn't take away the bags under his eyes. "I'm guessing you led him here," he accused Isobel.

The black haired girl smirked. "Well done, you guessed on the first try. Clever you."

Damon shut off his tap, putting his back to the pair and trying to appear disinterested. "Why?"

"You know why," she responded simply.

Damon's stomach turned as he washed up. Guilt made him want to throw up but he clenched his jaw and tried to get himself under control. When he didn't make any move to reply, Stefan cleared his throat and started to pace around the breakfast bar. "How's Elena nowadays? Or don't you know?" He taunted.

Damon bit his tongue and kept quiet. He wanted Stefan to go, and take Isobel with him. If that meant not responding and boring Stefan enough to leave, then that was what he would do. Stefan laughed into the silence, clearly enjoying the hold he had over Damon and making sure his half-brother knew it.

"No smartass comment? I'm disappointed, Damon. I always enjoyed our banter."

Damon turned from the sink, anger bubbling in his gut. "Banter, Stefan? Do you mean trying to screw me over all my life, and making it your mission to turn Elena against me?"

Damon instantly kicked himself for giving in, but it always bugged him that Elena seemed to get on with Stefan better at the beginning. "If I remember correctly, she was mine first."

Damon's stomach curled at the thought and he thought back many years ago, to when Elena and Stefan had first met.

 _When Elena met Stefan, she looked at him in a way she had never looked at Damon. Stefan saw that, and hating his brother, he asked Elena out the same week. Elena had blushed and accepted, and Damon had been seething with jealousy. He told himself it was because Stefan had no regards for Elena's feelings, and she was going to get hurt._

 _Stefan saw her as a means to an end, and the fact that she was a brunette was nothing but a bonus. There was a time when Stefan didn't go out of his way to destroy Damon's life, a time when they were just brothers who loved each other. Then Stefan let Giuseppe brainwash him, and soon enough Stefan was repeating the same rubbish._

 _But Stefan clearly thought going on one date with Elena wasn't enough to hurt Damon, so he had taken it to the next level and asked Elena to be his girlfriend. She was smitten with Stefan, and before long they were known as the 'golden' couple. Every time he saw them Damon would beat himself up at the lost opportunity._

 _His heartache pushed him into many different beds, and the more women that built his reputation, the more Elena struggled to love him as her friend. Their friendship took a hit, and soon Damon was left to his own devices and sleeping with every woman who glanced at him. One of those women happened to be Katherine Pierce._

 _Katherine was the devil reincarnate and while she was a horrible person when sober, she was a lot of fun when he was drunk. Damon liked that she was the complete opposite of Elena, and it was a pure coincidence that Stefan had a crush on the she-devil despite being in a relationship. The friends with benefits arrangement worked for Katherine and Damon. She didn't want to commit and Damon's heart already belonged to someone else._

 _He'd loved Elena Gilbert for as long as he could remember and despite being in a relationship with his brother, he tried to tell her in several different ways. Elena could deny it all she wanted but Damon knew she fell in love with him when she was with Stefan._

 _They would flirt constantly and that flirtation would lead to eye-fucks and lingering touches. He had no respect for Stefan, but he did for Elena and soon those flirtations had to stop because he could see he was tearing Elena in two. She and Stefan finally ended when she walked in on him fucking Katherine._

 _Despite being cheated on, Elena tried to comfort Damon, believing he had been cheated on too. He used the situation to his benefit and they hung around more than ever. He ended up thanking Stefan in the end because that period of time was when Elena realized she was in love with Damon. Stefan had hated the failed attempt ever since._

"She's not an item," Damon snarled. "And you never loved her. You used her to hurt me."

"Ooh," Stefan laughed. "Someone's still pussy whipped."

Damon gritted his teeth in annoyance. "Get out, Stefan."

"Later," Isobel interrupted, surprising Damon. He had forgotten she was there. "We have business to discuss first."

"Damon!" Caroline shouted, falling through the door with bubbling excitement. "You. Me. Party. Tomorrow night!" She stopped short at the three of them. "Oh, I didn't realize you had guests… Stefan?"

Stefan's green eyes roamed over Caroline's petite figure, turning Damon's stomach. They had met before, but Caroline had changed a lot in her looks and body since they had last seen each other. "Hello, sweetheart. I always preferred brunettes, but I'm sure you could scratch an itch…"

Stefan's hand expanded outwards but Damon's grip on his arm and Caroline's step backward happened simultaneously. "Stay away from her," Damon growled.

Caroline gave Damon a grateful look and then shot Stefan an evil one. Damon's older brother laughed, breezing it off. "You're no fun anymore." Stefan glanced at Isobel and indicated the door. "Come on, Blondie here killed the mood. Party tomorrow sounds interesting, though." Stefan winked.

Caroline's lips formed into a thin line and her eyes narrowed as she seemed to remember that Isobel was in the room. The two saw themselves out without another word, closing the door loudly behind them. Caroline remained silent for a while, waiting for the coast to be clear before she rounded on Damon with an accusing glance.

"What in the hell were they doing here?" She demanded.

Damon shrugged, leaning against the countertop behind him. "You interrupted before they got to the point."

Caroline's eyes narrowed so much they looked like cat eyes. "This has something to do with your company, no doubt."

Damon nodded, puzzling it over himself. "Probably. He's been more furious at our father for leaving the company to me than he ever has been at me alone. He only got a seat in a subsidiary company in Australia. But one thing I can say for sure… is that Stefan wants to be in your pants."

"Ew, Damon!" Caroline laughed. "He's disgusting."

Damon smirked and turned back to the rest of the bottles littering his kitchen counter. "Now you're here Blondie, you can help me clean up."

Caroline tsked but Damon knew she loved cleaning, and that a project like his apartment was going to make her more than happy to get stuck into. "So, what's this party?" He asked as she began to help him clean up.

"Well, I love getting drunk alone as much as you," she said sarcastically, waving a bottle of bourbon at him. "But I thought that since we don't have any friends, we could party together. Get drunk, and mope. Just like old times."

Damon pretended to think about it. Usually, he would decline, he rarely hung around with Caroline alone but he missed his best friends, and he couldn't have Elena, Alaric or Jeremy so it was going to have to be Caroline. "What have I got to lose? My company is nearly under the bus and I have nothing else to do. I'm yours Barbie. Where and when?"

Caroline rolled her eyes at the nickname. "I'll be here at seven tomorrow, after work."

"You're on," Damon agreed.

* * *

 _ **Things getting rather interesting... What do you think?**_

 _ **Thanks for reading! xx**_


	7. Brother Knows Best

**Chapter 7: Brother Knows Best**

Damon glanced down at the suit laid out on his bed, his hand holding onto the towel around his waist on Friday evening. He hadn't been wearing any suits for quite a while since he had given up on his company and glancing down at his suit tie, and his bed in combination, he couldn't help but remember times in a different apartment, and a different room, with Elena.

" _What's up?" Elena asked at the sight of Damon's stormy face._

 _Damon glanced over at her in between throwing his tie down on the bed. She was laying on her stomach with her legs swinging in the air, showing off her newly painted toenails. Damon nearly smiled at the sight. "I don't know how you're going to take this."_

 _Elena frowned and shuffled so that she was sat cross-legged on the bed. He sat down next to her in the newly opened space and ran his hand down her bare thigh. "Several female employees at the company are suing me for sexual harassment."_

 _Damon refused to look her in the eye, scared she was going to explode with accusations. Just as he expected, she flung herself off the bed in anger. "What!"?_

" _My reputation precedes me," Damon said sarcastically, throwing himself back on the bed. "Giuseppe's old employees want to be a little famous."_

 _Elena sighed and crawled on top of him, smoothing her hands over his shirt. "It wasn't your company then. Why are they blaming you for your father's mistakes?"_

 _Damon sighed and gripped her thighs, stroking his thumbs over Elena's skin. "I ask myself this every day."_

" _They just want to be paid off," Elena fumed._

 _Damon smirked, relieved that she didn't believe he had done anything wrong and trusted him. He truly hadn't, he loved Elena too much to ever want someone else, let alone while he was coming home to her. "My lawyer said there's proof that two of the girls weren't even in town on one of the alleged nights."_

 _Elena laughed. "So we'll fight it."_

 _Damon grinned. Elena was a hellcat when it came to him and she was always ready to back his corner and fight with him. "I have one of the best lawyers in New York, don't worry about it." Damon swallowed and gripped Elena's thighs a little tighter. "But a court case means a board meeting and an eventual vote to replace me as CEO."_

 _He knew without a doubt that everyone on the board would try to vote him out, except for Elizabeth Forbes. They didn't trust him because of his young age, and all of them had been introduced to Stefan more times they had him by Giuseppe personally, so it had been a big shock when the company was left to Damon and they had to call him 'boss.'_

" _Henry said I may have to settle," Damon admitted._

 _Elena frowned. "Settlements are for the guilty." She sighed unhappily as she climbed up and off the bed. "Want a drink?"_

 _Damon groaned and sat up, following her into the kitchen where she flicked the kettle on. As he debated if he should have a hot drink or an alcoholic one, the front door clicked open. Both he and Elena sharply glanced at it, wondering who would be walking in at this time of night when none other than his half-brother, Stefan waltzed through the front door._

" _What the hell are you doing here?" Elena demanded._

 _Damon's jaw tightened as Stefan glanced at her bare legs with lusty eyes. He hated that his brother knew what was beneath Elena's clothes, and so clearly disrespected her. Elena deserved to be cherished and so Damon always ensured that was how he treated her. Stefan let his eyes linger before he glanced at Damon with a smirk._

" _I would have been here sooner, but I was a little distracted reading some of those protestor signs…" he paused in mock seriousness while Damon frowned. "I never realized how many sex puns you could make out of the name 'Damon Salvatore' . I'm sure you didn't either, right brother?"_

 _Damon stepped forward in anger, while Elena quickly placed herself between the two brothers. "You expect me to believe it's a coincidence that you've shown up at the same time as this lawsuit?"_

 _Elena stood strong by his side, her brown eyes hard and her ponytail serious. He loved her so much when she became a force with him. "You're the blood-sucking reptile behind this lawsuit," she accused._

 _Stefan threw a hand over his heart, pretending to be offended. "Wow. Harsh words."_

 _Damon rolled his eyes. "Hurry up with your bullshit and get out, Stefan."_

 _Stefan huffed a half laugh. "If you insist. My sources tell me the board members have already started stirring," he said to Damon before glancing at Elena. "Little brother is going to have to step down from his beloved company."_

 _Damon tried to keep his eyes on his brother but he wanted to understand Elena's reaction and therefore found himself glancing at her. Her olive skin had turned blood red with rage for him and she took a determined step forward, squaring up to Stefan. Damon thought to step in, but he had never seen Elena so furious._

" _You try so hard, Stefan, but you will never ruin his life. He has me, and we'll get through anything. You'll always be alone." She finished the biting comment with a smirk and Damon grinned like a shark._

 _Stefan's face contorted for a moment before he glanced back at Damon with a shit eating grin, despite addressing Elena. "Oh, Elena. Do you and Damon always forget? I've had you too."_

* * *

"The blonde will be a problem later," Isobel mentioned as she stirred her martini with an olive on Friday evening.

Stefan looked at the magazines on Isobel's coffee table. "I'm not complaining: I love problems. Especially easy ones. I'll take this one on myself."

"Stefan," Isobel sighed. "Don't be a pig."

"This is what I do best," Stefan objected.

"She's a problem," Isobel sighed again, trying to break it down. "Because she's friends with Alaric. They haven't been speaking lately, but their loyalties still lie with each other."

"Doubt it," Stefan laughed. "Alaric chose you."

"It's different." Isobel rolled her eyes at his dense manner.

"Anyway," Stefan dismissed her. "The deal is that I can do what I want with the company when I take it from Damon. I don't have to listen to your guy problems, or deal with them, and honestly? Alaric Saltzman? He's a dumb guy, he wouldn't be a great loss."

Isobel cut him a sharp glare. "I like Alaric."

"What does it matter? I'm not here to discuss this, it's your problem." Stefan leaned back into his chair. "Anyway, he already knows I'm in town."

"What?" Isobel demanded, sitting up straighter. "Why?"

"Blonde bombshell will tell all her little friends. Soon your boy toy is going to realize what you're up to."

Isobel blinked in surprise. Why hadn't she thought about this? She felt stupid and slightly panicked. "We need to be more careful then. When we confront Damon next ti-"

Her phone buzzed in the middle of her sentence, cutting her off. Picking it up from the coffee table, her heart skipped a beat when she saw Alaric's name on her screen.

I'll be home soon. We need to talk. –R.

Stefan peered over at the text and laughed. "And the time has already come. Good luck."

* * *

Not long after Stefan had left, Alaric walked through the front door from work, and the look on his face told Isobel that he had passed the oldest Salvatore coming up the stairs. "How long have you been meeting Stefan Salvatore behind my back?" He demanded.

"What, I can't meet with other people?" Isobel fired back.

"Do you know what Stefan is capable of?" Alaric shouted.

"Of course. That's why I invited him!" She snapped, knowing she couldn't talk herself out of her situation.

"Oh, you invited him? To our apartment or to Manhattan?" Alaric asked, arms folded tightly.

"Manhattan, to see me. Unfortunately, it happens to be where Damon lives, and they met by accident," she answered, cutting to the point of the argument.

"Accident my ass! What are you up to? What are you doing to Damon?" He shouted again, throwing his arms in the air.

"Why do you care?" Isobel quipped. "You chose me!"

"Because I love you, but I love Damon too and I don't want you to help Stefan hurt him! I threw away my friendship with him, does that mean nothing to you?" He questioned, his eyes tight with hurt.

Isobel glanced away and out the window, her eyes burning. "His father is the reason I didn't have a mother to grow up with," she whispered hoarsely.

"I know, Isobel. But this isn't the way to deal with that pain. I thought you were better than this," Alaric whispered and his voice was so filled with disappointment that tears poured onto Isobel's cheeks.

Her throat closed tight. "Ric, I…"

Alaric shook his head and sidestepped her until he reached the door. "Don't. Call me when your silly games are over. I have to speak to Damon."

"So much for choosing me!" She hissed. Alaric scoffed so she whipped him with, "we already paid him a visit."

Alaric took in a sharp breath. "If you do this, we're over. I won't let him be destroyed again, especially by Stefan!"

Isobel folded her arms over her chest and bared her teeth in rage. "Did you ever really choose me?"

Alaric rolled his eyes. "I'll choose you when you grow up. Call it off, or we're done," he snapped and slammed the door shut behind him.

Isobel screamed into the waiting silence and snapped up her phone. Her thumbs flew across the screen and she angrily jabbed at the contact she was searching for. It rung once before being picked up. "Stefan? Meet me on Sunday," she greeted him.

"Why two days away?" Stefan questioned her over the hustle and bustle of New York City.

"Because," Isobel sighed. "I don't want Ric to get suspicious. We're got to be more discreet from now on."

* * *

 _ **So what do you think so far? Let me know! :) xx**_


	8. Surprises

_**Thank you for the favs and follows so far! It makes me really happy that you like this little story :)**_

 _ **Now here's the next chapter!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 8: Surprises**

Damon left his bedroom after he had changed, bringing himself out of the memory of the last time his brother had paid him a visit. With pre-drinks in his system and his favorite aftershave, he was more prepared to party with Caroline than ever. The door knocked once before it opened, signaling that Blondie had arrived.

He rounded the corner and found her hunting for a glass, presumably to pour the whiskey she had in her hand. "What are you wearing?"

She glanced up at him after retrieving two glasses and laid the three items on the bar. "Don't you like it?"

Damon's eyes glanced over her long, red dress with a large slit through her upper thigh. The two ribbon straps came together behind her slender neck and her hair was in a loose bun. "Isn't it too… revealing?"

Caroline laughed as she poured their drinks. "Aw, don't get protective on me now."

Damon smirked as he took his offered drink. "Course not, Blondie."

Caroline smiled, downed her drink and grimaced. "Anyway, forget what I'm wearing. You're in a suit!"

Damon glanced down at his sharp suit and smirked. Glancing at Caroline again, he sarcastically responded, "I wear suits on most occasions."

"Just nice to see you looking yourself again," she said and quickly changed the topic before they got mushy. Between their semi compliments, they were getting uncomfortable being so nice to each other. "You ready to go?"

Damon downed his drink and nodded. "Yep. Where we off to?"

"Never you mind," she laughed as she led him out. "You're going to love it."

* * *

"Elena," Elijah breathed in awe as he stepped into their room.

Elena glanced up and then back to herself with a frown. Her dress was pretty, but it felt heavy and uncomfortable on her. It started as a white corset that cut off her air supply but did compliment her olive skin and developed into a pale pink skirt that reached her heels. She sported pearls gifted to her by Elijah and a few brown curls escaped from the loosely tied braid and fell around her lightly makeup face.

"You're beautiful," he complimented her.

Elena smiled as he stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her slim waist. A guilty part of her hated knowing that if it was Damon, he would have freed her from her clothes by now and taken her until the minute they had to walk out the door. Shaking the thought away, and the sudden rush of want, she grabbed her purse and followed Elijah out the door.

* * *

"Caroline?" Damon growled as they arrived at a stunning venue hosting an extravagant gala. "What the hell are you planning?"

"What? I've brought you as my plus one to a lovely event. Besides, I don't like the dingy bars you go to," Caroline replied with innocent eyes.

"You hate these things. They bore you, and I don't like them either. We're here for a reason," he accused her with narrowed eyes. "And I don't go to dingy bars."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Oh, please! Cloud Nine?"

Damon opened his mouth in mock outrage. "That place was mine! And it was a burlesque club. Full of stars," he replied cheekily.

"And STD's," Caroline laughed.

Damon smirked. "You're good, Forbes. Why are you trying to distract me?"

"Shut up and follow me," she replied quickly, grabbing his arm and leading him into the Grand Hall.

* * *

Elena's heel bounced in excitement. She couldn't wait for them to open the Grand Hall doors. Many couples were pouring in, high society people who grandly announced their entrance. She was always amazed that she was a part of that now, and as one of the last couples, she liked that she and Elijah made their debut.

It was finally their turn and Elijah took her hand gently, artfully showing off her dazzling engagement ring. Elena walked slowly into the room with him, her cheeks hurting from how hard she was grinning.

She spotted Damon as soon as her eyes swept through the crowd and her smile faltered, struggling to maintain on her cheeks.

 _No. Why is he here? He promised he would leave me alone!_ Elena thought desperately. Her eyes found Esther Mikaelson in the crowd and her heart thumped. Not again. Damon was going to destroy her second chance at impressing her mother in law to be, and embarrass her and Elijah in the process.

Sweat broke out across Elena's skin and Elijah seemed to notice as he glanced at her with worried eyes. Elena reassured him she was fine and glanced at Damon from the corner of her eye. She spied blonde hair beside him and it took her a shocking moment to determine the red dress was wrapped around her best friend.

Elena felt anger surge hot and heavy in her gut, making her sweat even more. She kept her eye on them and witnessed the moment Caroline first saw her and Elijah. Seeming to be excited at her presence, Caroline gripped Damon and turned him to face the couple. Damon's face went blank with shock, and that's when Elena knew Caroline had planned the whole thing.

When Damon's eyes connected with hers, Elena's heart stopped and the room faded away. He looked stunning, truly. The bags under his eyes were apparent but his gorgeous smile and bright blue eyes made him stand out in a way Elena had never found in another man. He was so striking it took a moment to realize Elijah was talking beside her.

"Of course, Lunette. We loved the designs, we just wanted to have a little more input, you didn't do anything to displease us," Elijah reassured their wedding planner.

Elena turned to them and smiled, rushing to appear as if she was paying attention. "Elijah is right, we don't want you to leave us, we just want some reigns too."

Her smile was fake, but Lunette seemed happy and after some more chatting, Elena excused herself to get a drink for herself. She needed something to calm her nerves as much as possible. She was all jittery from having to stay in the same room as him, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction to see her all uneasy because of his presence.

* * *

"Why the hell did you bring me here?" Damon demanded.

"Because you love Elena," Caroline hissed low so no one could hear their argument.

Damon clenched his jaw and his eyes flashed with anger and desperation. "Yes. That's why I told her I would let her go!"

"But she's miserable, and so are you! She shouldn't be with a man she doesn't love to get over you, Damon! It's not fair to Elijah, or her," Caroline answered.

"She does love him," Damon denied.

"Not as much as she loves you," Caroline quipped and put a golden strand of hair back to its place.

Damon opened his mouth when Caroline's eyes widened with surprise. "Elena's coming!"

"What!?" He quickly glanced over his shoulder, noticing that Elena was indeed making her way over. When he glanced back at Caroline, she had run off to talk to someone. "Damn it, Caroline!"

"What are you doing here?" A voice he would recognize anywhere hissed in his ear.

Damon quickly turned to face Elena with apologetic eyes. "Caroline didn't tell me-"

"Of course not!" Elena snapped, although she seemed to believe him.

"I can go, Elena. If you want?" he offered, struggling to get the words out.

"What's the point now? Elijah saw you, everyone saw you," she sighed under her breath.

Damon glanced over her head, trying to see if anyone was watching them. "Really? Elijah doesn't seem to know you're talking to me."

Elena glanced over at her fiancé who was chatting enthusiastically with a group of men. "I'm sure he knows. He just doesn't make a scene like you."

"Did you tell him we met the other day?" Damon interrupted, raising one of his eyebrows in question.

"Just leave, Damon and take Caroline with you!" Elena hissed, turning sharply and walking away.

Damon's eyes followed her across the room, his heart heavy with his loss. She looked stunning and jealousy ate him alive when she put her hand on Elijah's shoulder. She smiled brightly at her fiancé but the smile fell when she glanced back at Damon. It made him feel physically ill so he turned and hunted for Caroline in the crowd.

"She wants us to leave," he said bitterly when he found her. "C'mon."

"Damon, wait. This isn't you. The Damon I know would fight for her!" Caroline said stubbornly.

Damon bit his cheek in annoyance. "He's not here, now let's go."

Caroline huffed and turned towards Elena's direction, striding in determination. Damon groaned and followed behind her, knowing it was going to get ugly.

Elena spied them walking over and Damon hated how horrified she looked. "This is better be quick," she whispered when they reached her.

They moved away from Elijah and Elena folded her arms stubbornly. Caroline dove right in, making Damon cringe. "I know you're still in love with Damon."

"Caroline," Damon groaned.

"No," she defended.

Elena bristled. "My life is none of your business."

"I know you are hurt that I've been hanging around with him. But he needed me, you both do, but him more-"

"I needed you!" Elena cried, her voice cracking. She lowered it and repeated hoarsely, "I needed you, Caroline. You're my best friend."

"Elena," Damon whispered, his heart aching at how lonely she sounded.

She ignored him and addressed him and Caroline both. "I'm marrying Elijah. We're done here."

"Stefan came back," Caroline added quickly.

"Shut up, Blondie," Damon warned her, eyes flashing.

"What?" Elena's eyes widened.

"Damon doesn't think you care enough to tell you, so I'll do it for him. He needs you," Caroline said earnestly.

Elena glanced at Damon and he hated the pity on her face. "That's enough," he finally bit, grabbing Caroline's arm. "We're leaving."

Elena opened her mouth to say something but decided against it. She watched as the duo left through the entrance and finally snatched her gaze away from the man who constantly occupied her thoughts.

Stefan was back.

She hated how her head filled with worry for the blue-eyed man at this news.

* * *

 _ **Yaay some Delena finally :) I promise there will be more in future chapters, you just have to wait for the story to unfold and clear away all confusion you still have. If you liked it (or not), please write me some words, it would do wonder to my muse! :)**_

 _ **Until next time,**_

 _ **Niki**_


	9. Spiral

**Happy Holidays everyone! I hope your Christmas was filled with joy and lots of calories!**

 **I was supposed to update on Sunday, but I thought that everyone would be celebrating and wouldn't have time to read :) So here's the next chapter, which is rather short I know, but to make it up to you I'm going to post the next chapter in just a few days! :)**

 **Also, I wrote a Delena Christmas one-shot, if you have some time, check it out :) -** **s/12289983/1/Little-Treasures-and-Traditions**

 **xx**

* * *

 **Chapter 9: Spiral**

Elena bit her lip as she glanced at the door number in front of her and turned the silver key between her palms. After seeing Damon a few nights ago at the gala, and it now being Monday evening, she hadn't stopped thinking about him. Caroline had been calling her none stop, and when Elena had finally picked up, Caroline had given her the 'down low' on the state of Damon's life.

He was miserable without Elena, his company was going down the toilet, Alaric had chosen a woman over him and Stefan was back once more with his schemes to ruin Damon's life. She couldn't be with him just to make him feel better, and she couldn't just leave Elijah, so she had taken the middle ground and decided to be his friend.

They had started as friends and were always there for each other so Elena knew they could do it again. Taking a deep breath, she slid the key in the door as it had been locked for once, and turned the lock. The moment the door opened to Damon's dark apartment, Elena was overwhelmed by the stench of alcohol.

Her eyebrows were pulled together in a concerned frown as she paced through the dirty apartment and into the living room, searching for any sign of life. The TV was on, the only light in the dark space and Elena stopped in surprise at the people on the screen. A much younger Giuseppe Salvatore was twirling a beautiful woman in a white dress, smiling.

Elena gasped, covering her hand with her mouth. She had met Giuseppe, and he had been a hard, cruel man. It was like looking at a doppelganger as she watched what appeared to be the female version of Damon be pulled closer by Giuseppe and kissed senselessly. Her eyes were drawn to the dark haired, blue eyed beauty and she smiled at Damon's similarity.

"It was their wedding night," a low voice sounded from the darkness.

Elena's eyes fluttered closed at how broken Damon's voice sounded. It wasn't just the husk from so much alcohol, but true anguish.

"It's the only time I've ever seen him happy," he added.

Elena opened her eyes to cross over to the couch, finally making out Damon's hunched figure. His hand lifted to drink a dark liquid straight from the bottle. Elena looked back to the television and watched Giuseppe and Lily kiss once more at the end of their dance. The screen cut off and the videotape was spat out by the player.

Sighing, Elena sat down beside Damon, now fully able to see him by the TV light. His raven hair was messy and he was still in the pants and shirt he had worn to the gala. Judging by the two empty bottles of bourbon, she assumed he hadn't put down his glass either.

Elena reached her hand out to take the glass but Damon's grip tightened. "Leave it."

"How much have you had to drink?" Elena whispered, giving up on trying to take the glass.

"Not enough," Damon snapped.

Elena sighed again and moved in front of him. It seemed she was going to have to play dirty. Using Damon's stance: slouched down with his legs lazily spread apart, Elena ran her hands up his legs as she knelt between them. Damon's chest rose quickly and his legs stiffened in surprise. "Elena…"

She smiled gently and pried the glass out of his fingers, and this time he let it go. She turned only slightly to put it on the coffee table before she turned back to him and stroked his cheek. Damon jerked his head away, breathing deeply and still tense. Elena took her hand away, hurt at the rejection.

"Please leave," Damon whispered hoarsely.

"No." Elena frowned and sat back on her heels.

"Get out, Elena!" Damon fumed, sitting up straight.

Elena rocked back on her heels and stood, folding her arms over her chest stubbornly. "No!"

"I said leave!" He shouted, rocking up onto his feet.

Elena took a step back, trying to understand where he was mentally at. "Damon, talk to me."

"What is there to say? It was my fault, it's all my fault," Damon whispered after a few seconds of silence.

"What?" Elena asked, confused.

"It's my fault my mother died, and mine that my father did," Damon replied vehemently.

Elena gasped in surprise. "Of course it wasn't!"

Damon scoffed and scooped up an unopened bottle of whiskey, taking himself into the kitchen. He flicked the light on and hunted in the sink for a glass to wash up. Elena followed after him quickly and watched him pour himself a glass of whiskey straight. "Why on earth would you think that?"

Damon turned to face her and took a large gulp of his drink. "I got into trouble and almost got expelled. Giuseppe was called back into town from a business trip. He crashed on the way."

"You weren't driving, and you weren't there," Elena defended.

Damon swallowed the last bit of his drink and poured another. "How does it feel being in the same room with a murderer?"

"You're not a murderer," Elena replied passionately, her heart racing. "You are just drunk."

Damon's face scrunched up in disgust but he carried on drinking. "I killed both of my parents."

"You're not responsible for either of your parents' death!" Elena shouted in frustration. "And drinking isn't helping."

"I'm a monster, Elena and you're too busy making excuses for me to see that! I ruin everything I touch! I killed my mother as she gave birth to me, and my father because I wanted some attention! And you…" Damon stopped suddenly and slammed his glass down on the counter, wiping his mouth angrily.

"You're not a monster, Damon." she decided to ignore the last part of his outburst.

"I'm a fucking monster, Elena and you would do damn well to remember it!" Damon roared, throwing his glass against the wall so it shattered into pieces.

Elena jumped and the door banged open, revealing a sheepish Caroline who had clearly gotten impatient waiting in the car and had come to eavesdrop. "Caroline," Elena groaned.

"Are you okay?" Caroline demanded.

"We're fine, Caroline. Go back to the car," Elena advised.

Caroline hesitated before removing herself from the apartment. Elena waited until she heard her footsteps fade from the hallway before she turned back to Damon. Taking a step forward, she ignored his obvious tension and wrapped him up in a hug. "I'm here, Damon, and I'm going to be there for you."

For the first time in all the time Elena had known him, Damon Salvatore broke down in sobs that wracked his body. Elena gasped in shock and instantly started crying at such a visual breakdown from such a strong man. He never really had time to properly grieve either of his parents, he had to grow up so fast, that is was nearly impossible for him to process all of his emotions. Now, with all that's been happening for the last couple of weeks, he couldn't hold it together anymore.

Wrapping him tighter in her arms, Elena buried her face into Damon's neck and cried with him.

Elena had never seen him like this, not even when his father had passed. He would always meet with her with red, swollen eyes and she had known he had been crying, but she had never physically seen or heard it. She was confused and unsure of how to help him heal and help him get over his addiction to alcohol.

She felt completely lost, and so did he.

* * *

 **It was rather emotional and poor Damon, feeling so alone. But finally, Elena seems to come to her senses or...?**

 **What do you think? Tell me :)**

 **xx**

 **Niki**


	10. Good Riddance

**Happy New Year in advance! Thank you for the favs, follows and reviews and thanks to my beta for correcting my mistakes as always! :)**

 **As I promised, here's the next chapter and I hope you like this as well. Let me know what you think after reading it! It would help my muse immensely.. :)**

 **xx**

* * *

 **Chapter 10: Good Riddance**

Damon's eyes blinked open to the morning sun the next day. His body felt loose and comfortable, something he hadn't felt in longer than he could remember. He turned on his back and glanced around to find he was in his bedroom and in bed, washed and fresh. It took a moment to remember the events of last night.

Elena had come around and he had broken down in her arms. After that embarrassing meltdown, she had coaxed him into a shower and demanded that he eat the food that she had made him. He hadn't been eating properly and the full meal sent him straight to sleep. When Elena woke him much later, his apartment was sparkling and she was putting him to bed.

Waking up now, he mentally thanked her for the care she had shown him as he hadn't felt so good in a long time. The only problem was the embarrassment he felt at how Elena had to rock him like a child and clean up his filthy mess. Confusion followed soon after, as he had no idea what she wanted from him.

* * *

"Hi, Alaric," Elena greeted.

On Tuesday evening, Alaric blinked in surprise at the sight of Elena standing at Isobel's front door with her arms folded stubbornly. _She must have come straight from work._ "Elena… What are you doing here?"

"Well if you must know, I've come to confront you. Can I come in?" Elena asked with a thin mouth.

Alaric raised his eyebrow at her tone but stepped aside to let her pass. "So can I ask what I'm being confronted for?"

"I trust you know about Isobel and Stefan's little get-togethers," she answered, walking into the apartment with a scrunched up face. Since the ' _Central Park incident'_ a while ago' she despised Isobel.

And now the little bitch is conspiring against Damon.

"I'm taking care of it," Alaric replied, sticking the kettle on.

"Are you? Because I went to see Damon last night, Alaric, and I've never seen him so bad. He _cried,_ Ric." Elena's voice cracked as if she were repressing tears.

Alaric's mouth formed into a thin line at the visual. Damon never allowed other people see that he was in pain, not even Elena. "I'm sorting it," he repeated.

Elena pulled out her phone and waved it at him as he began to pour them a coffee each. "So am I. I've sent a text to Damon's PI to keep tabs on Stefan and your girlfriend."

"I trust Isobel, Elena. I told her to give it up or I'd leave, and I don't need a private investigator to keep tabs on her so that she gets mad at me." Alaric passed her a cup of coffee.

Elena took it just as her phone vibrated. Clicking open the attachment, Elena turned her phone to show Alaric the picture sent to her: Stefan and Isobel meeting in a bar. "Taken today, at lunch time. Still, trust her?"

Alaric swallowed bitterly. "Fine. I'll sort it, but that doesn't explain why you're here on behalf of Damon, or why you went to see him last night."

"It's not how you think," Elena defended quickly, sipping her coffee. "We were friends before, and we will be now. Plus, I hate Stefan."

"Elena," Alaric laughed. "You can't be friends with someone you're in love with."

"This has nothing to do with that," Elena snapped. "I want Stefan out of the picture, Isobel to back down and Damon's life back on track so he can move on, and so can I. End of story."

Alaric sighed at her denial but nodded anyway to show her that he was on board. They finished their drinks and made small talk before Elena finally glanced at the time and mentioned that she should be leaving. Alaric saw her out and gave her a hug. Elena hugged him tight before she pulled away. "I wanted to invite you to my engagement party."

"Thank you, I wouldn't miss it. Congratulations by the way." Alaric smiled.

Elena hugged him again. "I've missed you, Ric."

"I've missed you too," Alaric admitted.

They released each other one last time and Elena promised she would text him the engagement party details. Alaric was just about to shut the door when Isobel turned onto the hallway, coming back from work and raised her eyebrow at his look. He stepped back to let her in and she shut the door firmly behind her. "Why was Elena here?"

Alaric laughed. "Are we pretending still? Why were you meeting with Stefan Salvatore again, when I asked you not to?"

Isobel sighed and rubbed her temples. "We've been over this, Ric. I want that company destroyed!"

Alaric scoffed and stormed into their bedroom to pack a bag. "Ric! You're not really going to leave," Isobel said in disbelief.

"Oh, I really am. I'll be back for some stuff tomorrow." Alaric slung his bag over his shoulder and stormed out the apartment.

Mentally, he started to prepare his apology to Damon.

* * *

Caroline stepped into Damon's apartment to the scent of lemons and fresh laundry. Her brows furrowed in surprise as she glanced around at the sparkling dishes and counters. She wondered if Elena had done it last night when she came to speak to Damon, or if Damon had been inspired by Elena's visit and done it himself. "Damon?" She called.

She rounded the corner to see him sat on his sofa with not a glass of liquor as she expected, but a cup of coffee. "Are you really drinking something other than bourbon?" Caroline asked incredulously.

Before Damon could answer the door opened and closed. Damon sighed and shouted, "Is this even my apartment anymore?"

Caroline gasped as Alaric rounded the corner. "Actually I was hoping it could be both of ours again."

Alaric glanced over and spotted Caroline. A grin broke out on his face and he bent to scoop her up in a large hug. "Caroline!"

Damon glanced at Caroline as Alaric was putting her down and they raised their eyebrows at each other in surprise. "What on earth has gotten into you?" Caroline asked Alaric.

Alaric grinned. "I've realized that my girlfriend is a snide, two-faced succubus and I'd really like my friends back." He glanced at Damon with a sheepish grin. "All of them."

"Remember what I said the day you left?" Damon asked.

Caroline sighed. "Damon."

Damon snorted and left the room, taking himself down the hall. Caroline turned to face Alaric with a worried smile. "He'll be okay."

Alaric frowned. "I just left Isobel for him, what's his problem?"

Caroline bent to retrieve the cup Damon had been drinking from and took it into the kitchen where Alaric followed her. "He let Elena go the other day. Gave her that ring he had been holding onto forever."

Alaric leaned against the counter as he watched Caroline make them drinks. "Wow. But that don't make sense, she came to my apartment and told me that Isobel and Stefan were still meeting, despite me confronting Isobel about it, and she said she was here last night."

Caroline shot Alaric a grin before glancing back to the kettle. "I knew she came here but I didn't know she was tracking those pair. She's been a busy bee."

Alaric waited for her to finish the drink before he took it and continued. "Why do I feel like you have some sort of plan going in?"

Caroline turned to face him and blew on her drink. "I don't have a plan so much as a resolve. Elena won't be happy with Elijah, and we know she still loves Damon, forget all this friends bullshit. They gravitate towards each other, and I feel strongly about them being together. I don't want them to miss their chance."

"I know," Alaric answered and Caroline blushed, knowing he was thinking of her and Tyler, feeling sorry for her. Alaric continued on before she could answer. "Do you really think we should get involved?"

Caroline sipped on her drink and shrugged. "I won't give up on them until Elena walks down the aisle with Elijah."

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! Please review! :)**

 **xx**

 **Nik** i


	11. Our Decay

**Hello, lovely readers!**

 **I'm finally back with the newest chapter after a long LONG time which I apologize for. I had some exams that needed my undivided attention and so I didn't really have time to write.**

 **I was supposed to update this next chapter Sunday, seeing as how I did it previously, but after weeks of not updating anything, I decided to post 2 chapters in 2 days! So the next one comes tomorrow as a way of saying sorry for making you wait so long.**

 **Hope you like it and if you do (or don't) please let me know in a review! :)**

 **xx**

* * *

 **Chapter 11: Our Decay**

 _"_ _What in the hell are you doing here?" Damon demanded as Stefan walked through his office door with a swag in his step. "Security is not meant to let you in the building," he seethed._

 _Two weeks had passed since Stefan had walked into his and Elena's apartment, taunting Damon with the lawsuits attacking him, and his company. Damon had assumed that Stefan would get bored when his lawyer fought the attacks and the whole thing would blow over, forcing Stefan back to his life in Australia._

 _That didn't happen. Clients were leaving the company and breaking their contracts in the process. The board members had already set a meeting which would decide his fate in the company and the possible replacement of his CEO position. Things were really ugly, which was why Damon was always in his office and rarely with Elena lately._

 _"_ _Funny, isn't it? What money can do for you," the other Salvatore boasted._

 _Damon stood from his chair, not enjoying the vulnerability he felt in being at a lower level than Stefan. "As much as I hate to interrupt your fun, this has gone on long enough. How much is it going to take for your prostitutes to withdraw their lawsuits?"_

 _"_ _I don't need your money, Damon," Stefan scoffed._

 _"_ _So what do you want?" Damon said through gritted teeth. "To hurt me?"_

 _"_ _Just hurt you?" Stefan asked with a 'tsk'ing sound. "Rather a minor goal, isn't it? Besides it's not all that challenging anymore. You're not the man you used to be, Damon."_

 _Damon smiled sarcastically. "If you're referring to the fact that I'm not smoking hash with sluts, such as Katherine…" Damon paused to watch Stefan's mouth twitch at the mention of his affair. "Change is good."_

 _Stefan tilted his head to the side as if regarding Damon in his entirely. "Damon in love. Beautiful, and sad. Giuseppe always said you were soft."_

 _"_ _And yet I'm CEO of his company, and not you," Damon taunted with a twisted smirk. "But I know you, and it's not your end game. So why are you really here?"_

 _Stefan paused for a moment as he fiddled with the gold plaque on Damon's mahogany desk, engraved with his name and position. "It's an interesting feeling: driving somebody into a corner, and knowing you could have their most prized possession in any minute."_

 _Damon bit his tongue, sure Stefan was talking about the company and yet his insecurities wondered if he was talking about Elena. Stefan's smirk said that he knew the kind of doubts he was causing in Damon's brain. "You wonder how far they'll go to prevent that, and if there's anything they wouldn't do," he finished cryptically._

 _Damon's fist clenched tightly. Regardless of what Stefan was trying to steal from him: the company, Elena or both, Damon knew he couldn't have them. As awful as it sounded, he worried more for the company being taken from him. Elena was the love of his life, and when he wasn't screwing up she was happy with him._

 _The company was his legacy and he knew it was Giuseppe's final test. Damon could prove by running the company that he wasn't a fucked-up kid who couldn't handle responsibility, and that he knew how to stick around and pick up his shit. So, that's why the next words left his mouth with vicious intent. "I'll do anything."_

 _Stefan's lips curled into a triumphant smile. "Well, there is something that caught my eye._ "

* * *

"Caroline, stop calling me," Elena snapped as she picked up the phone.

She had already missed a numerous amount of calls and had unread text messages from the blonde. Finally, when the phone calls had caused her headache, Elena had picked up the device.

"Elena! Finally," Caroline exclaimed. "I've been trying to reach you for days."

"I know. I haven't picked up on purpose. What do you want?"

Since going around fighting Damon's battles, Elena had returned home to Elijah with guilt eating her insides. He was still enthused to go over wedding plans and instead she had been sneaking behind his back to clean up Damon's mess, even though she had no reason to. She didn't want to fall out with Caroline again, but Elijah deserved some attention from her for once.

"I thought you had forgiven me, Elena? Did you mean it when you asked me to be your maid of honor?" Caroline whispered.

Elena's eyes fluttered closed. "I'm sorry, Care. I just can't be sucked back into that life, you know? Checking in on Damon and fighting his battles. I want to be his friend and help sometimes, but I have a new life with Elijah and it doesn't include-"

"Me?" Caroline snapped.

Elena gasped. "That's not fair. You chose Damon over me!"

Caroline scoffed. "Well if you want to be his 'friend' or mine for that matter, then you'll help me."

Elena gripped the phone tighter. "Did you listen to anything I just said?"

"He's going down the wrong path, Elena. I thought he was getting better after you came to see him, but he seems so much worse. He's just drinking all the time," Caroline pleaded.

"Shocking," Elena muttered sarcastically.

"Sleeping when he's not drinking…"

"How scary," Elena deadpanned.

"And other times he just stares into the distance with empty eyes…"

"Caroline, I can't look after him all the time anymore!" Elena squeezed her eyes shut and rubbed her temples.

"It's not like before… it's frightening. I'm frightened," Caroline admitted. "He's going to drink himself to death."

"Why should I care?" Elena finally asked but it wasn't convincing since she had gone to see him a couple of days ago.

"Come on, Elena," Caroline laughed. "You had me drive you to his apartment, wait outside for you. I know something went down between the two of you. Then you cleaned up and before I know it you're at Alaric's, blazing down the place with your intentions to stop Stefan and Isobel. You _care_."

"As a _friend_ ," Elena stressed.

"Regardless. He needs you," Caroline whispered before the line hung up.

Elena sighed and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to push away the tears. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't walk away from Damon Salvatore, and all his drama. Despite him letting her go, everyone else was trying to convince her to go back on his behalf, as if she were some grand angel who could take away all his problems.

Stuffing her phone in her jean pocket, Elena left the room and entered the living room once more to sit beside Elijah. All day she fought to find happiness at his side and forget about Damon Salvatore but it didn't take long before she was fumbling an excuse, grabbing her coat and car keys, and leaving the apartment.

* * *

Caroline wasn't there, thank God, when Elena arrived at Damon's apartment. After letting herself in and surveying the living room, she determined Damon wasn't there either due to how empty and silent it was. Elena moved down the hallway finding that his bedroom door was ajar but no light peeked out.

Pushing the door open more, Elena found him sat on the edge of his bed with head in his hands and a glass of liquor pressed to his temple. An empty bottle was on his pillow and his crumpled clothes suggested he'd been in them for a day of two. There were some stains on the blue fabric of his shirt: alcohol and food that Caroline and Alaric would have tried to get him to eat.

She knew they would have been unsuccessful because Damon never ate when he was drunk, which would explain the weight that seemed to be melting from his bones. He didn't look up as his door opened and his voice was slurred when he spoke. "God damn Caroline you've been gone for two minutes. What do you want?"

Elena's throat closed at the incorrect assumption. He would always joke that he could tell if Elena had come into a room without looking because he knew the rhythm of her footsteps. She cleared her throat and hesitantly spoke his name. "Damon."

Damon looked up quickly, his eyes bright and unfocused from intoxication. Their eyes locked in the darkness and didn't break as Elena moved to sit next to him on the bed. She took the glass from his hand as she had done last time and Damon didn't fight her, releasing the drink easily. She slid her arms around him and started to move him into a standing position.

Damon dug his feet in. "Elena."

"Come on, Damon. Let's get to the couch first, okay?" She asked, pulling him slightly.

Damon didn't say anything but he was easier to pull along so he must have relinquished what little strength he had. A few minute later and she had heaved him onto the sofa without once looking in his eyes. She took his glass of liquor and swilled it out, instead of filling it with fresh water.

There was none in the fridge and no food in the cupboards either. How had Caroline and Alaric been helping him when there was nothing in? Elena passed the glass to him and he took it with shaky fingers, sloshing some on himself as he raised it to his lips. "Drink it all," she advised him, glancing around at the mess.

"Why are you here, again, Elena?" Damon asked with a tone close to that of accusation.

"Caroline begged me to come and check up on you, disregarding my life," Elena said sarcastically, hoping he wouldn't get too comfortable with the visits.

"Caroline's melodramatic. I'm fine," Damon argued but his voice, clothes, eyes and skin told a different story.

"You don't look like you are," Elena whispered, worry blooming in her chest.

"I'm fine," Damon repeated.

"Can you just…" Elena paused, watching him finish his water. "Just not do this to yourself. Do you want to die?" She asked with a strained throat.

"No," he replied immediately although his actions didn't follow that. "I never asked you to come here, Elena. I can do what I want."

"You can't just destroy your liver, spend all your money on alcohol and laze around feeling sorry for yourself while your company goes down the drain, Damon," Elena scolded.

"You're not my girlfriend anymore, Elena," Damon snapped as he moved further from her on the sofa.

"Thank God," Elena snapped back with hurt prickling her chest. "But people still need you, Damon."

"Like who?" Damon laughed.

Elena struggled not to say 'me' and instead named the first person she could. "Liz. Alaric, and Caroline. Your company."

"My job? You hate that company more than me!" Damon burst into full bouts of laughter and Elena squeezed her eyes shut in annoyance.

"Since I became such a big part in helping you save it. I would prefer if it didn't go to waste since I almost sold myself in order for you to fucking keep it!" She screamed, standing from the sofa so fast she felt like a rocket. Her heart throbbed in her throat as she turned her back on Damon's face and stormed out of his apartment.

* * *

 _The icy wind bit into Elena's skin despite her jacket and she pulled it tighter around her limbs, trying to fight away the bitter cold as she walked through Central Park. In other circumstances, she may have stopped to glance around at her favorite place rather than the hurried jog she was taking up now._

 _But summer was still a few weeks away and as she looked at the bright, soft shades of green the grass had become and felt the breeze playing with her hair, she had no desire to. Since Stefan's return to the city, hers and Damon's life had been turned upside down. She was terrified what Stefan's presence would do to their relationship._

 _But she was also worried about Damon losing his company. She knew he wouldn't be able to take it and to lose it to Stefan no less, would destroy him. It would mean that Giuseppe had won and proved that his troublemaker of a son was nothing but a man who couldn't handle responsibility._

 _Elena knew that wasn't true and she knew that Damon was capable of doing amazing things with his life, if he set his mind to it. He also didn't need a company to prove that to her, but he did need it to prove it to himself. Which was why he was running himself ragged at work and was barely home to eat dinner with her._

 _It wasn't like they weren't in love with each other anymore but she couldn't help feel as if they were strangers holding onto a title of 'partner'. Elena sighed and nuzzled her face down into her scarf to protect her face as she rounded the corner to the duck pond. When she looked up, Stefan Salvatore was at her favorite place in the park and sitting on her bench._

 _Elena squared her shoulders as she walked closer to him. "What the hell are you doing here?"_

 _"_ _And hello to you too, gorgeous." Stefan grinned. "It seems I'm invoking that greeting everywhere today," he said cryptically._

 _Elena narrowed her eyes at him as he patted his hand on the empty seat beside him. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" Stefan whispered, twisting his old endearment. "You used to like sitting next to me."_

 _She scowled at his amused face. "That was before I knew what a psychopath you were." She spat as she sat next to him, right on the edge of the bench._

 _"_ _Ouch," Stefan laughed. He stood from his seat and towered over Elena with a smile. "How's your morning been going, beautiful?"_

 _"_ _Just tell me what you want so I can ignore your pathetic endearments and existence once more," Elena strained her voice to sound vicious and threatening._

 _Stefan tilted his head to the side. "I think I've made that pretty clear. The company and Damon miserable."_

 _Elena sighed in exasperation and stood to leave, pushing Stefan out of her way. He gripped her arm quickly and spun her back. "I'm willing to call off the women I sent after your lover boy and his company."_

 _Her eyes narrowed. "Just like that?"_

 _Stefan only smiled at her naiveté and gripped her hand tightly, placing something small and plastic in there. Elena's fist closed over it before she glanced down. Her stomach swooped violently. A key card. To her favorite hotel._

* * *

Damon sighed as the door opened again and Elena walked back inside his apartment, her cheeks flushed. "Are you okay?" He asked.

She nodded tightly. "I'm sorry. That was uncalled for."

He gripped the glass in his palm with all the strength he needed to not look in her big brown eyes. "I deserved it."

Elena shuffled closer until she was sat beside him again. "You didn't. I forgave you a long time ago," she whispered sincerely.

Damon glanced up at her with his stomach in knots. He couldn't look at her without feeling deep inside his bones how much he loved and adored her. Elena cleared her throat and glanced away. "I didn't want to bring it up… it just slipped out."

He cleared his own throat wishing he had more water or alcohol to drink. "Forget it."

They both turned to face each other and their eyes locked. "Why did Caroline have to tell me that Stefan was back? Why couldn't you?"

Damon sighed. "When could I have slipped it in? During your phone calls where you clearly have no time for me? The gala, if Caroline hadn't said something? The place I was tricked into going? The park when I… when I gave you that ring?"

"I'm not going until I know you'll be okay," she whispered, changing the topic.

He didn't say anything because he couldn't tell her how much he enjoyed having her around and he couldn't lie and tell her he didn't want her there. He went for option three. "You have a fiancé waiting for you at home," he whispered softly, trying to stop the jealousy from making the words ugly.

"I know," she whispered and Damon's stomach twisted at the guilt coating her words.

"Please just go."

"Damon," Elena bit, clearly irritated. "I'm trying."

"What?" He asked, confused.

"You said you would let me go," Elena answered, not making sense.

"What are you talking about?" Damon asked incredulously. "I said goodbye! Caroline and everyone else keeps dragging you back here!"

Elena paced closer to him, fury in her eyes. "No. You drag me back here with this behavior!"

"It's my business!"

"And I care!" Elena shouted back. Damon's heart tripled in speed. She went on with quick sentences and a heaving chest. "This makes it impossible for me to let go! It _hurts_ when Caroline calls me telling me she's frightened that you're going to kill yourself!"

"I would never-"

Elena cut him off again, her cheeks rosy with anger. "Not on purpose, but you will at this rate. Is this your tactic? That I'm so worried about you that I can't let go?"

"Tactic? Don't be ridiculous, Elena," he hissed.

She came closer and pressed a shaky hand to his shoulder. "Please, Damon. You have a problem."

Damon rolled his eyes to the heavens. He had always been a drinker. Fights with his father, with Alaric, or Elena were always resolved with a drink. He drank when his father died and he drank when he couldn't stand who he was and his skin crawled seeing his reflection. "Elena, just go," Damon sighed, his head echoing with her pleading words.

"You say you want Elijah, so go and be with him. I gave you my blessing or whatever, I won't get in the way. I won't tell him or anybody that you still 'care'. Go back to your life." He reached for the nearly empty bottle on the coffee table and took a swig. "And I'll go back to mine."

"Come to my engagement party," Elena blurted out suddenly.

Damon choked on his drink. "What? That's a terrible idea!"

Elena twisted her hands and looked anywhere but at him. "I invited Alaric, and Caroline's my maid of honor. Liz will be there and all the people you know. We're not in a good place right now, but I want you in my life. As my friend."

He closed his eyes with a groan and pressed the bottle to his forehead. "You're such a mind fuck, Elena." She gasped a breath with hurt and he carried on. "How do you expect me to let you go when you do this? Invite me to your engagement party with another man and admit you care about me? How can you expect me to walk away?"

"I don't know," she confessed. "But I'm sure you'll figure it out."

He didn't answer and she turned to leave. Before she could make it all the way, she turned back quickly and spoke so fast Damon barely caught all the words. "I want my old life back, or for it to mix with my new one. I want my friends, but I want Elijah."

Damon's throat closed so tight he didn't dare speak and neither did Elena.

She walked away.

* * *

 **So we're getting closer to the answers you probably have regarding Delena's relationship. I promise it will clear up!**

 **Let me know what you think so far! :)**

 **xx**

 **Niki**


	12. Broken Heart

**As I promised, here's the next chapter!**

 **I saw your reviews and hopefully, this part of the story will shed some light on Elena's behavior so far. Nonetheless, thank you for giving me feedbacks! :)**

 **xx**

* * *

 **Chapter 12: Broken Heart**

"Damon? You there?" Alaric called out as he entered the apartment.

"I'm here, Ric," he shouted back.

"Hey. You're up. Great…"

Damon glanced at his 'best friend as he waited for Ric to explain why he was back. After he had made his announcement that he wanted to come back and be 'friends', Damon had ordered him to get out. Alaric didn't seem to want to start talking again so Damon pushed the conversation along.

"What are you doing here? I thought Caroline offered you to stay with her." He muttered as he glanced at his hidden bottle of bourbon that was calling his name.

Ric sighed, his work shirt expanding around his chest and falling back again. He must have come straight from the office. _What day is it anyway_? Damon wondered to himself. "Look, Damon. I'm sorry, alright? Really. But you can't blame me for being mad! You've been acting unlike yourself for God knows how long…"

"It's a wonderful apology you got there, Saltzman," Damon interrupted sarcastically.

Alaric ploughed on. "I'm sorry that I left you in this mess. I shouldn't have chosen Isobel. I've known you forever, you're my brother man. I should have made sure you were okay." He stopped before taking a step closer with honest sorrow in his eyes. "But I'm coming back, and I'm helping you against whatever Stefan and Isobel are planning, like it or not."

Damon raised an eyebrow before finally allowing his mouth to form in a smirk. "Let's toast then."

Alaric rolled his eyes but accepted Damon's glass when he handed him one. "Thanks, Ric," Damon said honestly, avoiding his eyes.

Ric didn't look at Damon either, instead of chugging on his drink. Damon chugged his own before saying, "you can bring your stuff over tonight."

The grin on his best friend's face split open. "Thanks. As much as I love Caroline, she wakes me up at five in the morning."

Damon poured another glass for them each. "Why is she doing that?"

"Just to make me watch this movie. You remember the one: we all used to watch it when we were younger," Ric laughed.

Damon's lips twitched. "That feeble attempt at porn she dragged us to? Of course, I remember. Elena almost knocked the popcorn out of my hands as she tried to cover… her eyes…" Damon slowed as he realized he had mentioned the elephant in the room.

Alaric pretended as if he hadn't noticed. "Yeah! Told us the entire time that we should go because she never missed a class in her life and she'd fail her exams if she stayed out any later."

Damon did snort as he swallowed his drink. "She's always been fucking crazy."

"Every time you made a crude comment she hit you over the head." Alaric smiled, repressing laughter.

Damon grinned around his glass, struggling himself. "I had a concussion by the end of that movie!"

"She just woke me up in the middle of the night. Couldn't remember the title and by the end, she was crying," Alaric laughed before a frown took over his forehead.

Damon's stomach prickled uncomfortably at the thought of their Barbie doll crying. "Why?"

Ric shrugged, finishing his re-filled drink. "Something about 'how she misses the things we used to do together, and how we used to be'" Alaric quoted. "Cheered right up when Elena text her the engagement party details."

Damon winced. "Yeah, she actually invited me too," he admitted, omitting the part about Elena being here again.

"What? Well, is that good?" Alaric asked uncertainty.

Damon shrugged. Was it? It was good to see her happy. But with another man?

It wasn't good at all.

* * *

"Elena invited Damon to the engagement party," Ric said an hour later as he packed his suitcase.

Caroline stood in his doorway, still dressed in her work attire but without the heels. "Really?"

Alaric glanced up at her, noticing her pleased smile despite her surprised tone. "Do you think she's planning something?"

The blonde shook her head. "No. Elena… I think she's over that. She's changed since their breakup, and meeting Elijah."

"So you think she really does want him as a friend?" Alaric asked, pausing from his clothes folding.

Caroline shrugged. "I didn't say she was consciously planning something. But she still loves him, it's abundantly clear so maybe she's subconsciously orbiting back to him. Or so I hope," she admitted.

"Even so," Alaric said with doubt. "Inviting him to her engagement party? It's a little cruel to the guy."

Caroline puzzled it, clearly trying to protect her friend and share her true thoughts. "I think right now she knows that she wants Damon in her life, and that's a big step alone."

"Women don't make sense," Alaric grunted as he stood back on his feet, lifting his suitcase.

Caroline stepped to the side and helped him zip it all the way. "They've got to make their own decisions. They're both adults."

They exchanged a look before laughing in unison. "Well, Elena is." Caroline laughed and Alaric grinned in agreement.

* * *

 _Elena's hands shook as she pulled the key out of her purse. Her pulse pounded as she stood in front of the hotel room door, dressed in a trench coat, her little black dress and sporting big curls… Stefan's favorite. Her stomach convulsed at the thought. She was about to do something really stupid, but for all the right reasons. Did that count?_

 _The future of Damon's company was in her hands… or rather, her body. No. It meant more than that. It wasn't just his company she was trying to save, it was the man of her dreams, the love of her life, and the one person she cared about most in the world. He would drown in sorrow and pity, despair and anger if he lost his company to Stefan._

 _She could fix everything right here and now. Stefan would go away, smug in the knowledge that he'd had another piece of her, Damon would be happy with her, not running himself into the ground at work, and the company would be his alone, with no threats or lawsuits to go against him._

 _Despite all these reasons, she had consumed a large quantity of alcohol whilst getting ready, channeling the Elena she was when she hung onto Stefan's every word, for the courage to come tonight. Now, with an empty stomach bar strong liquids, she was slightly tipsy and willing to do anything for the man she loved with all her heart._

 _With one last deep breath, she slid the key in the door, the click resounding in her head with dread. The minute the door swung open, she was greeted with a smirking Stefan. If nightmares had faces, it would surely be his._

 _"_ _I knew the memory of our relationship would bring you back." Stefan's eyes ran over her dress, curls and deep red lipstick._

 _Elena's eyes prickled but she pushed the panic back. "I'm not here for you. I'm here to save Damon and his company."_

 _"_ _That works perfectly for me," Stefan answered. "Champagne?" He asked, turning his attention to the bar._

 _"_ _Something stronger to kill the germs," she replied with malice as she removed her coat and sat on a stool at the bar._

 _Stefan laughed as he filled a glass with bourbon. "Damon's rubbing off on you, Elena. You look like the girlfriend I had on my arm, but you don't sound like her. In fact," he scoffed. "Never mind."_

 _Elena snatched the drink from his hand. "What?" She gritted._

 _He grinned into his glass of champagne. "You sound like Katherine."_

 _She hissed into her drink, swallowing it tightly. "Fuck you."_

 _Stefan let out a full-bellied laugh. "Don't worry, it works out great for me."_

 _"_ _You're disgusting." Elena downed her drink with a gasp._

 _She wasn't nervous to sleep with Stefan, she had done it before and as much as it pained her to admit, it wasn't exactly an unpleasant act. It was better with Damon because they loved each other and it was more than just sex. But sleeping with Stefan, here and now, despite her reasons, was still cheating._

 _She was betraying Damon, and that's what it boiled down to. The alcohol wasn't just liquid courage if she was truly honest with herself. It was to the numb the driving guilt that was turning her stomach inside out. All she had to comfort herself with was the knowledge that Damon losing his company would be more fatal than her infidelity for saving it._

 _"_ _I can't say I'm surprised that you came," Stefan bragged, no doubt trying to make her back out. "Damon's under so much pressure… you're probably lonely." He grinned around the glass pressed to his lower lip._

 _Elena carefully put her glass down and smiled. "I'm here because I love Damon. Don't flatter yourself into thinking that you're in any way involved in my subconscious thoughts or that I'm going to enjoy this."_

 _She stood from the stool she had perched on and made her way from the lounge towards the bedroom. No reason to delay. The faster they got on with it, the sooner she could leave this place and never look at Stefan's smirk again._

 _He laughed and put his glass down to follow her. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Elena."_

 _"_ _Damon can't know about this," she muttered as she placed her purse on the vanity upon entering the room. "You will tell him that you got bored and it wasn't worth losing your position in Australia."_

 _"_ _You know I love a win-win proposition," Stefan answered from behind her._

 _She glanced up and made eye contact with him through the mirror. "And you'll never come back."_

 _Stefan's fingers trailed over her bared shoulders and collar bones. "Of course."_

 _He seized her suddenly and spun her in his embrace towards the king sized bed. When they stopped she rocked on her feet a little, dizzy from the alcohol and spinning. "That's enough foreplay, let's get this over wi-"_

 _Stefan interrupted her with a kiss, making her freeze in surprise. She screwed her eyes shut and tried to coordinate her mouth to his. They had kissed a thousand times, and they had all been lovely, so why did it feel so wrong and unpleasant. If just a kiss made her feel like that, then what would the sex be like?_

 _Elena whimpered and Stefan pulled back with a tsking sound. "Put some effort in Elena, or what am I really getting out of this?"_

 _Fear that he would back out of the deal made Elena ravenous. She threw herself at him with eager kisses despite her churning stomach. Stefan growled with hunger into her mouth, nearly tearing her dress from her skin. The breeze against her semi-naked body made her shiver and Stefan's hands slid down her back to stroke her edge of her panties._

 _Elena's heart stammered in her throat as Stefan pulled away from her and smirked at her attire. Matching black lace underwear and garters. His favorite. He grinned as he stroked the skin of her stomach. "Oh, Elena. Thank you."_

 _He pulled away quite suddenly and laughed, most likely at the expression on her face. "You can't back away now, I'm here. I came here." She defended with a tremor._

 _Stefan nodded. "Quite right. Don't worry, the company is still Damon's but believe it or not, I prefer women that actually want to have sex with me." He retrieved his phone and tapped along it before lifting it to his ear._

 _Elena couldn't think straight as the effect of alcohol held onto her common sense, and her panic onto her motor skills. She didn't know what to do, couldn't remember how to move her muscles. Did she get dressed now? Was this still happening? After a couple of minutes, it began to register that Stefan was making several phone calls. He was calling off the lawsuit._

 _"_ _I don't understand," she finally managed to say. "Why did you make me come here?" She glanced back into the mirror at her sparkling eyes, wild curls, and bright red lips. Her underwear._

 _Stefan seemed to assess her in that moment, and he seemed almost sympathetic. "I made Damon a deal. I told him that if you slept with me, then I would get the company, but if you didn't, then I would leave him alone."_

 _Elena's skin grew cold and she shivered violently. "But… the park… the key…"_

 _"_ _All's fair in love and war, darling." He laughed._

 _Elena shook her head in denial, her eyes filling with tears despite her best efforts. "Damon would never accept that."_

 _"_ _Funny you should say that, because he seemed to want to turn me down immediately, but he was confident you would refuse me. I guess his insecurities got the best of him and he was right to have them. After all, our love story was epic, hmm?"_

 _Elena shook her head desperately. "You're lying! Damon doesn't know about any of this! I saw him before I came here!"_

 _She took a deep breath as she puzzled over Damon's words and behavior since Stefan had approached her. She couldn't remember the last time they had spent so much of their time together. He started to work from the apartment. He made all the meals with a grin. He checked in every when hour they were separated. They made love as often as they could._

 _He rambled about the future. Damon **never**_ _rambled… It suddenly dawned on her in that moment. **There is nothing I can give Stefan in exchange for leaving my company alone** , Damon had said. There was nothing **he** could give. But **she**_ _could give him something. His words and behavior were the only evidence she needed._

 _Seeming to notice that Elena had finally come to the true meaning behind the hotel room, Stefan laughed aloud. "My goal is to destroy Damon. Losing his company is temporary. But you Elena, you are a hurt that will burn him forever."_

 _Elena's throat convulsed. What the hell was happening? She was part of two different games that she hadn't' realized she was playing. She was wrong for planning to sleep with Stefan, but it had been for Damon because she loved Damon. But what did he do to her? Not love her, or respect her, but bargain her like a product._

 _Then Stefan in his own little side game had used her to destroy Damon's trust, and love. To make Damon into the worst version of himself. Had used her to destroy her own relationship, and the man she thought she would fight the world for. She didn't know who was worse, which brother to be mad at. Which brother had broken her the most._

 _"_ _You're quite the pair, I have to say," Stefan said after a long period of silence. "Both willing to make deals behind each other's backs and expecting that everything will remain the same after the deeds are done." He chuckled as he stepped closer, wiping a tear from Elena's cheek. "But if you're interested in some revenge sex I would be more than happy to oblige."_

 _Elena cringed from Stefan's touch and hurried back into her dress. As she hurried into the lounge to grab her coat and purse, Stefan followed her. "Leaving so soon?"_

 _"_ _You Salvatore brothers are poison." She hissed as she hurried to the door._

 _"_ _Oh, I know."_

 _Stefan's laugh followed her out into the corridor, down into the lobby and then outside into the rain. Sobs threatened to tear through her throat but she wrapped her coat tight around her and hurried into the downpour to hail a cab. As she reached the curb and flagged one down._

 _She climbed into the cab and slammed the door shut, and the sound resonated in her head. A promise: never again would Damon or Stefan Salvatore ruin her life. Never again would they be a part of it._

 _Never again._

* * *

 **So now that we know why Delena broke up and what happened, what do you think? This engagement party will be quite interesting...**

 **Thank you for reading! Until next time...**

 **Niki**


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